


Fate Made A Mistake

by daxcat79



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dark, Angst, BAMF Frigga, Character Death, Drama, F/M, Family Drama, Kid Fic, Odin's A+ Parenting, Psychological Trauma, Really Dark Kid Fic, Romance, Tony Is Always Good With Kids, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-15
Updated: 2013-10-04
Packaged: 2017-12-23 13:09:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 22
Words: 53,983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/926834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daxcat79/pseuds/daxcat79
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The young boy appeared in the midst of the Bifrost mute and trusting no one but Frigga, while having great fear in the presence of Thor and Odin.  No one knows why until his lineage is discovered, but learning he is the son of Loki is not nearly as shocking as learning who his mother is….</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This ain't your ordinary kid!fic, so don't expect happy family times and silliness. This is Loki we're talking about... his family does not get the easy life, and I do steal a lot from Mythology with a Marvel twist. Please let me know if you want me to keep going. I have the story planned out, but it's gonna be a challenge and I'd rather know now if it's crap! lol

  
**Chapter One**

_Some Time In The Not Too Distant Future_  


Asgard was crumbling around him like wet sand. The brilliance of the city and it’s simmering gold were stained with the blood of soldiers and innocent beings alike. It was a horror foretold by men and gods for centuries, but those stories were turned into fairytales and taken with a grain of salt. They never even saw it coming.

Screams filled the still air… Jor nearly choked on his own as he scrambled for the Bi-Frost with what little energy he had left. He was burned and exhausted, but his instincts had kicked in, just as his father had promised. Light and sound were a thousand times more devastating. The lapping of Asgard’s oceans against the structures holding the rainbow bridge in place cut his ears like a dull knife, while the shrieks of the dying shot projectiles of agony through his fragile frame.

Later they would tell him what he experienced was a trauma. They would tell him that the things he saw and heard were being absorbed differently because of the adrenaline rush of flight or fight instincts. None of that mattered while his life was still in jeopardy. His father had given him his instructions. The Bi-Frost was his only means of escape, cut off from others, but Loki was a god with special skills no other could ever hope to match.

Jor stumbled several times out of sheer exhaustion. His hands shook violently even as they dragged across the surface of the bridge in a pathetic attempt to keep upright. He was much too young to comprehend the horrors he’d just witnessed. Tears had run dry, and his lips were cracked and bleeding. His tongue felt like sandpaper in his mouth, and his vision was growing blurry by the second. He wouldn’t last long. The BiFrost had already been activated… he didn’t know by whom. It didn’t matter. It was his only means of escape. It was to be his salvation. Just a little further. He felt the familiar pull, and he let himself fall this time. Relieved to be free and yet he was far too broken to concern himself with what would await him on the other side.

*~* _Present_ *~*

Heimdall’s eyes had seen a great many things both good and evil. He’d witnessed death and birth, pain and pleasure, but none compared to the charred boy that lay unconscious at his feet. The Bi-Frost’s vibration slowed to a lull as the form materialized, with smoke rising from tender flesh. Ink black hair hid away closed eyes, but the tiny frame still assured Heimdall this boy was clinging to life… barely.

The large man set aside his weapon without hesitation as he drew close to the youth who’d somehow made it to Asgard’s doorstep without an invitation… impossible, he’d once believed, but the evidence lay before him. Magic and sorcery, or perhaps a trick by Odin’s enemies? Though his eyes roved for clues, none surfaced. There was simply a boy… having appeared out of thin air, lying half-dead at his feet. His clothes, mostly burned away were distinctly Asgardian, but Heimdall could feel the chill of his bones, and it made his blood pressure drop. The All Father would not be pleased….

*~*~*

It took time for the conscious mind to assess the world around it after so long drifting in the clouds and fog of oblivion. His eyelids were still heavy. His skin tingled and itched as if the small legs of Midgardian ants covered him from head to toe. If he concentrated, he could almost hear the blood surge in his veins, assuring him that he was, in fact, alive. Voices in a low whisper washed over him, just out of reach to catch every word, but enough for him to understand the meaning and intent.

“… so young, who would dare hurt an innocent?”

“I do not know, M’Lady. His clothes may be Asgardian, but this is not the realm he hails from. It is possible he is as dangerous as Loki….”

“… not dangerous! He is a mere boy!”

“So was the god of mischief… once.”

“The path he chose was not entirely of his own making, as you well know.”

“The All Father may not agree with your assessment, my Queen.”

“The All Father is wise, but he is still as foolish and stubborn as any man. Leave us. I will care for him myself.”

“As you wish.”

Warning bells went off in Jor’s head like that of Midgardian fire alarms. The voices were familiar, but their awareness with him was nonexistent. They compared him to Loki with sour dispositions, as if they had no knowledge of their shared blood. It was startling to say the least, and Jor struggled to listen. Instead of voices, footsteps drew closer but the boy kept still and quiet. He refused to meet the gaze burning his skin worse than the damage he’d already suffered at the hands of Thor and his power of lightening.

“Your breathing quickens. I am not easily fooled, boy. I know you’ve awakened.”

He was not as adept at lies… that was his father’s gift. Jor slowly opened his eyes to face the only ally he currently had. The wife of Odin… Lady Frigga was just as brilliant and humbling as ever. He didn’t speak. The shock of his experience had made his throat close on him with a suddenness he couldn’t comprehend. Later men of medicine would tell him this was his body’s response to his traumas. The body had a strange way of reacting to such things.

“Do you not speak?”

Jor shook his head, blinking once or twice to clear his gaze. His muscles ached, but the softness of the bed gave him a small measure of relief even in the places where his skin still burned. His clothes had been removed, but a blanket kept him modest in his Grandmother’s presence. It was clear he was in Asgard, but the room around him was pure and untouched. He could not comprehend how that was possible. He couldn’t shake the overwhelming smell of death and dirt from his nostrils. He couldn’t make peace with the gold blackened with smoke and blood when compared to the room as it was now. It was like fire and ice, black and white… had the blood stains been wiped away so quickly? Or perhaps had they never been there in the first place?

“Yet you understand me?”

Jor nodded once, and swallowed hard. His throat was still dry, but it was not overly uncomfortable considering his condition before. His eyes searched for the clear liquid that was his saving grace. It sat beside his bed, and he fumbled awkwardly trying to reach it.

“You are still parched. Allow me,” Frigga insisted, easing behind him so that she could shift his body up, and carefully tipped the glass against his split lips. He drank eagerly, almost frantic until she pulled the glass away. “Easy… you must take your time.”

His head rested in her lap, and she was idly running gentle fingers through his matted hair. It was familiar and comforting in a way he could not fathom after what he’d been forced to endure. His father’s weakness need not be his own, yet here he lay in her arms with such contentment. If he could produce the tears, Jor knew he would be inconsolable by now.

“Do your mother and father still live?” She spoke the words carefully so he could answer them. He only wished he could better explain his predicament.

He nodded.

“They are of Asgard?”

He hesitated, unsure how to answer, but eventually shook his head.

“Yet Asgard is home… is it not?”

Again he found himself at a loss as to how to answer. He was a child of two worlds… neither of them Asgard. Home shifted and changed like the wind. Danger kept to his heels with overwhelming insistence. He wasn’t even sure if he had a home left. With a sigh he closed his eyes, refusing to answer her question and without the ability to explain himself. He didn’t want to alienate his only ally in this realm, but she asked questions beyond his capability to respond.

Frigga seemed to understand, and let out a sigh of her own. “Do you know of me?”

He nodded.

“Do you trust me?”

Again he nodded.

“Then I suppose that will have to do, for now.”

*~*~*

“You wish to make a Midgardian your queen, and you expect me to approve of this?!” Odin growled angrily.

Thor was already tiring of their frequent quarrels over Jane. His father did not approve of his beloved, but the heart would not be swayed so easily. Why could Odin not see the potential he’d once discovered when cast out to Midgard? Jane Foster was worthy. She did not have the strength and fight that the women of Asgard did, but her mind was just as perilous as Sif’s blade! “I do not seek the approval of the All Father, but were you to give her a chance-”

“A chance! A chance! You speak without wisdom, boy! Our people would never give her a chance any more than I can.”

His hands tightened into fists without his consent. His muscles tensed as if he were knee deep in blood and grim from the glories of battle. This was a war he fully intended to win, even if battles were lost in the meantime. “She will prove her worth to both you and our people!” Thor insisted.

Odin turned swiftly to face his son, his good eye narrowed as if Thor were nothing more than paper swaying in the wind. “Perhaps… but only if she undergoes the test. And we both know she will most certainly fail.”

Thor’s eyes widened at that. “You mock me! It was you who cast the eldest son to Midgard to learn of wisdom and mercy, yet you reject the very person who gave me the balance to be a worthy king!”

His father laughed without humor, sounding more cruel than Thor had ever heard him. It was not just the god of thunder who’d lost part of his soul when Loki betrayed Asgard. Both men had changed, and hardened like volcanic rock after an eruption. “You can learn much from beasts of burden in the field and the tiny insects crawling over the surface of this realm, Thor, but to allow them your loyalty and love would be unreasonable.”

Thor grew dangerously close to the All Father, and any hint of patience soon fled. Tension cracked and sizzled in the air between them as they stared one another down more like enemies than family in those few brief moments. “You will not compare Jane to mindless creatures,” Thor warned.

Odin opened his mouth to speak, but another voice beat him to his reply. The god of thunder had a sinking feeling it was for the best. “My lord… your wife cares for the child Heimdall discovered in the Bi-Frost. He has awakened, though he seems to be mute.”

Thor’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Child? What child?”

The All Father stiffened in the presence of the servant. He ignored Thor completely. “Has Eir been able to identify his lineage… or where he hails from?”

The hesitation spoke volumes. “We have yet to discover a genetic match… however it is clear the child is of mixed heritage. He is… Jotun and Midgardian.”

Thor’s self-control left him as he bellowed a hearty laugh. “You lie! That’s simply not possible! No Frost Giant would ever engage in the throes of passion with a Midgardian!”

Panicked eyes widened as the servant took a step forward and bowed lower. “I would not lie, sire! Eir insists that is what he is! The boy is quite powerful; in fact… his wielding of magic is beyond even the god of mischief at such an age! He is healing rapidly.”

“Yet he still does not speak?” Odin questions.

“He will not utter a word in anyone’s presence.”

Thor quirked an eyebrow in curiosity and hope; temporarily distracted from his troubles with Odin. “If he is from Midgard, perhaps it is a Midgardian that will reach him… putting his mind at ease. I could fetch Lady Jane.”

Odin’s eye was sharp when he turned to face his son. “Do not think I am ignorant of your schemes, my son. You do not fool me quite as easily as Loki,” the king snapped, but gave a nod despite his words. “Bring her to Asgard immediately to see the boy. In the mean time… I will see to him myself.”

To Be Continued


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italics means it’s a dream or flashback.

_Jor had never seen the realm of Asgard before. For as long as he could recall, despite the blur of so many different worlds, Asgard stood alone as inherently different. It was of prestige and privilege. It was a city kissed by the shimmering sun, and surrounded by clear, blue waters. Everything shined gold and silver, which was far too tempting for a boy so enticed by it’s luster. He couldn’t understand the fear in his mamma’s eyes. He didn’t know why she held him so tight with quaking hands. His father led the way ahead of them as they trailed close behind, wrists bound in chains for crimes of so many years ago… long before Jor was even born._

_The others had promised they would be welcome in Asgard, despite being family of a criminal. Jor wasn’t exactly feeling their welcome, but he was trying not to notice their stares. “Mamma! Can we go swimming while we’re here?!” the boy asked with hopeful glee. He so loved the water. His mother called him a ‘fish.’ His father called him the little ‘sea serpent.’ Jor wasn’t sure which he liked best._

_“Uh… sorry fish, not this trip. I need you to keep close to me, okay? Stay quiet, for me. Can you do that?”_

_Jor hated when she asked him to be silent. His father would often turn it into a game. Who could stay quiet the longest, and Jor never won, but he’d gotten better more and more because when he wasn’t quiet the game would always end in running. They thought he was too young to understand, they turned their peril into a game for his sake. Jor just really hated all the running. “Fine,” he muttered with a sigh, purposely ignoring the tension surrounding them._

_He focused on the city for a pleasant distraction. His ears took in the sounds of wildlife… birds singing songs so unlike Midgard (or any other realm). There was a gentle breeze on the rainbow bridge, and he could hear the trees rustling and swaying nearby. They’d been walking so long, but Jor wanted to be tough like his father. He would make his father proud. He wouldn’t complain or misbehave, though one glance at the water was certainly tempting. Jor was used to this by now; the running, hiding, evading capture, and squeezing into tight places too afraid to breathe. His father was good at making enemies. His momma was much better at making friends._

_A large meaty man named Volstagg pushed his father along occasionally with a sharp glare. The man reminded Jor of the tales of Santa Claus… though he was certainly no jolly, gift giving magic being. Beside Volstagg was a warrior with strange eyes named Hogun. He didn’t say much… or anything, for that matter. He was stoic and intimidating. Jor didn’t like him one bit. Behind his mother, stood the pale and blonde warrior, Fandral. He was certainly dashing as any prince in Midgardian fairytales, but Jor suspected he was just as dangerous as the others. Finally, there was Sif… the woman warrior. Jor always wondered why his mom never learned to fight. Sif looked amazing and deadly in her armor, with long dark brown hair that entranced the boy. His mamma said she was already married… a pity. Jor would have liked to marry her one day himself._

_“It’s been a long time, brother,” boomed the voice of Thor. Jor watched his father tense, and the group came to a halt. The god of thunder towered over them in his horse, hammer tucked away so he could unseat himself from the stallion. His mamma held him unbearably tight then even as Thor continued to walk towards them with uncaring eyes. There was a faint scar across the side of his face, occasionally hidden by blonde strands of hair. Thor paused in front of Loki. “If only it were under better circumstances.”_

_Jor watched his father’s eyes, surprised to see a lone tear escape and run down his left cheek. His father never cried, especially in the presence of someone as dangerous as Thor. “You have been misled, Thor.” Loki refused to call Thor ‘brother’ even now. Though his mamma had told Jor that Thor was his uncle, no one seemed quite willing to explain how Thor could be everyone’s family but Loki’s._

_Thor’s smile was cruel and hollow. “Misled?! Does the god of lies wish to bless me with truth from his silver tongue?!”_

_“He’s telling the truth, Thor! Please!” begged Darcy, and Jor glanced up at her in surprise. Did everyone get to speak, but him? That was certainly not fair!_

_“Mamma… what’s happening?” He was supposed to remain quiet, and he could see by her eyes that he’d made a mistake. All the attention turned to Jor, and Thor moved to face the boy by crouching down._

_“Such a strapping young boy… you have your father’s eyes.”_

_Jor stared back, his heart beating faster and faster. He’d heard too many stories about the god of thunder. Mamma said Thor was angry and sad, but she didn’t like to talk about why, though Jor had heard enough in whispered conversations between his parents when he should have been sleeping. “And my mother’s lack of tact,” he whispered, repeating something his father would often say._

_Thor’s smile was genuine this time. “All these years, Loki… I never pegged you for falling for a Midgardian… or having a family for that matter.”_

_Loki was staring at Darcy with a heat Jor was very familiar with. His mamma said that was simply how two people in love looked at each other, but Jor was confused. Thor had looked at Sif more than once… but never with that kind of passion. Perhaps they weren’t married after all. “It wasn’t intentional,” his father finally spoke, soft and sad. “I am far too unlucky for such things.”_

_Jor wasn’t prepared for the rage that followed with a thunderous cry. Thor’s body was swift as he rose to strike Loki with the back of his hand. The boy jumped and screamed, pulling away from his mother to prevent Thor from hurting his father, but her hold on him was strong. Loki hit the ground hard, his long hair falling into his face. Green eyes begged the boy to stay back, not to interfere. Loki shook his head. Jor continued to struggle anyway, even as his mamma tried to hide his face from the violence that continued on. The god of thunder kicked Loki in the stomach, sending him rolling. He could hear his father grunt, hear the sounds of Thor’s boot as he let loose another cruel kick, and he could hear his own screams… begging his ‘uncle’ to stop._

Jor sucked in a breath as his eyes snapped open. His heart was still pounding as fast as it had in the dream, and he scrambled for something to hold onto, anchoring him in the present. “Easy! You will tear your stitches!” Frigga soothed, grasping his hand. Jor took in her face with overpowering relief, holding her just as tightly as she held him. He was crying. He hadn’t cried in a very long time… far too dehydrated to create the tears. It felt good to cry, like releasing a burden caught behind his eyes putting pressure on his mind and heart. Crying turned to sobbing, and Jor was pulled in Frigga’s warm embrace in seconds. “It was just a nightmare! Shhhh,” she soothed.

He wished it were so… just a nightmare. His memories were haunting him even now. Jor coughed hard, feeling sick to his stomach, and shaking from his sobs. His face was red, head swimming, hands trembling… such a mess. Even now he didn’t fully comprehend Thor’s hate. Jor didn’t understand why his family had been constantly hunted and persecuted because of his father’s past. His parents kept so many secrets, because he was too young, but he wanted to understand. Was this any better? Asgard crumbling around him, Thor’s rage against Loki, the end of everything in an instant as the sky turned dark and the enemies of a great city swarmed… how was that better? They should have told him! They should have told him all his father had done! He would have forgiven, just as his mother had! Adults and their secrets!

Jor closed his eyes for a moment and tried to calm himself down, feeling the room spin from his anxiety. He wanted to speak, to ask Frigga where he was, where his parents were, whether he’d see them again… he wanted to know so many things. He was a boy of unending questions. Instead he just held Frigga tighter. He said nothing. His throat seemed to swell even tighter, insisting he not speak.

“Am I interrupting something?”

Jor stilled. He knew that voice. He didn’t dare open his eyes yet, though his breathing grew shallow and he could feel sweat soak his hair and drip down his face. Was it possible? It couldn’t be. Frigga didn’t pull away, and her voice remained soft. “The boy had a nightmare.”

A pause, and again he heard that haunting voice. “Then my timing is perfect… as it is his nightmares I intend to question him about.”

“Odin please… he is not ready!”

Jor opened his eyes and looked up to see for himself. He scrambled away from Frigga in seconds, pressing himself so close to the wall, as if he could pass through it if he tried hard enough. The boy had never seen a ghost… especially not one as dangerous and terrifying as the All Father! The golden patch over Odin’s eye, long white hair of wisdom and age… how many of the stories were true? Was he really as cruel as his father professed him to be? Was he really as wicked as his mamma had once said? Jor knew him by reputation, but that was more than enough. It was Odin’s fault they ran, why they always ran….

“Dear boy, do not be frightened… this is my husband,” Frigga tried to explain, slowly moving towards Jor.

Jor shook his head, he pressed himself into the wall until it grew hard to breathe and his back began to ache. “Why does he fear me?!” Odin questioned, Frigga.

“I do not know… does he look familiar to you?”

Odin’s one eye narrowed, and for a moment Jor felt almost completely naked in the older man’s presence. “I… I don’t know. There is certainly something… familiar about him…” said Odin without certainty.

Jor swallowed hard and closed his eyes, praying to the gods to be somewhere else, anywhere else! Odin was at fault for all the woes he suffered! He’d turned Thor against Loki, revealed to the Jotuns that Loki had attacked their world… sent the nine realms after him and his family for as long as the boy could remember. If Odin learned who he was… would he have Jor killed? He closed his eyes tighter. He prayed to the gods harder. Anywhere else… not ready for death!

“You should leave, Odin… before he hurts himself!” insisted Frigga with a desperate plea. “Please… let him be, for now!”

Silence. “I will go… calm the boy down,” said Odin and Jor could hear the door open and close. One peak to survey the room and Jor could confirm the room was safe once again. He didn’t even register the cuts in his hand from pressing into the sharp part of the wall… not until he looked down, having followed Frigga’s gaze.

“Please… come,” said Frigga in the kindest voice she could muster.

Jor’s hands trembled, but he tried to be brave. Frigga would never hurt him… not his Grandmother, his father had made that clear. Slowly he pulled away from the wall and felt his muscles protest. His knees seemed to quake as he moved closer to her and allowed her to tend to his agitated skin, now red and bleeding in several places, including his hands.

“Odin is not to be feared so, young one. He could never hurt a child,” she assured him.

Jor glanced up at her and shook his head, letting his eyes drift to the door nervously, as if he could almost sense Odin’s presence just outside.

“He decreed that we care for you. He only wants answers. Will you please speak?”

Jor shook his head. He wanted to. He could not.

Frigga let out a huff, reminding Jor of his mother when he was being especially difficult. “Do you know of Odin?”

He nodded.

“How?” Frigga paused, shaking her head, having realized he could not answer her question. “You’ve seen him in person?”

He shook his head.

“Reputation?”

He nodded.

“Stories can be easily exaggerated, young one. You should not listen to stories when given the opportunity to judge for yourself,” she reproved.

Jor quirked an eyebrow at her. Her words were certainly wise. Even his mamma warned him not to believe his father always… he was, after all, a god of lies. The fear in his father’s eyes when he told stories of Odin was how Jor knew he was speaking the truth. Arguments in the night between his parents over Odin was how he knew the stories were right. Odin was not to be trusted. Odin was to be feared.

Frigga was bandaging his hands, having applied ointment to his chest. All he could bare was shorts with his skin still tender from his ordeal. Everything stung, but his magic was returning. He could feel his body healing and recovering quickly. “Perhaps in time you will come to accept Odin’s presence,” she finally conceded. Jor sincerely doubted it, but he gave her a shrug for her sake.

To Be Continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promised Darcy, I just didn’t promise present day Darcy! Don’t worry! Next chapter Thor goes off to Earth, so lots of Darcy coming up! Feel free to keep the encouragement coming though, it helps the creative juices! :D


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

“This is a miserable plan.”

Volstagg shot Fandral a smug grin, barely noticeable under his matted beard, already covered with Asgard’s best wine and bits of roasted pig. “Do you have a better one? Shall you charm the boy to speech as you charm garments from the maids who grovel at your feet?”

Fandral stiffened across from the fellow warrior. “And you would do better? He’d probably suspect you to gobble him up as well with all the food particles collecting in that mane you call a beard!”

Sif rolled her eyes at them both. “Must you two bicker so often? Old married couples get along better than the likes of you two!”

Volstagg flashed her a greasy grin, and began sucking on the bone of a chicken leg. “Perhaps Lady Sif could get the boy to speak to us? One glimpse of her glorious bosoms and we would all be at her mercy!”

The glare she sent back had him choking in seconds. “Careful Volstagg, keep eating like you do and your bosoms will be far larger than mine.”

It was too perfect. The dinner table seemed to vibrate as Fandral laughed at the shock on Volstagg’s face at Sif’s words, pausing only when he saw the grim expression, ever present, on Hogun’s face. “If that doesn’t make you crack a smile, Hogun, nothing will!”

Thor let out a long-suffering sigh, far too distracted with his plans to retrieve Jane. If she managed to reach the boy perhaps Odin would finally admit her value. She would prove useful as his future bride, and queen of Asgard. He could think of nothing else, and the weight of his plan was crushing.

“See that Hogun! Your grim demeanor has affected even the son of Odin!” teased Fandral.

Hogun gave the man no mind, as always, but turned to meet Thor’s gaze. “Do you truly believe the Lady Jane might reach him, where your mother has failed?”

Sif seemed less than comfortable with their current conversation, keeping her eyes focused on her blade as she sharpened it carefully for future battles. “If she does not get him talking it will only make matters between you and the All Father worse,” she warned.

“I must take the chance,” Thor insisted. “Odin wishes for her to take the test. He believes she will fail.”

That stalled Sif immediately. “Do you think she will fail?”

He didn’t know. He couldn’t be sure. He would love to believe her capable of whatever Odin had in store, but his father’s lessons were often hard learned… and occasionally life threatening. He would not dare put her at risk. “It doesn’t matter what I think… she would make a worthy queen.”

“For Asgard, or your bedchambers?” Fandral questioned, making Thor bristle immediately. The 'so called' charmer seemed to realize his mistake just as quickly. “I mean no disrespect, Thor. It’s just… as King there are certain sacrifices that must be made. Love… may perhaps be one of them.”

“What would you know of love?” Volstagg questioned.

Fandral stroked his blonde beard, leaning back as he took in the large meal before them. “Nothing compared to you, I’m sure. No one could ever love food, as you do.”

“Thor has the right to try,” insisted Hogun. “Lady Jane is important to him. She won his heart… perhaps she will win Asgard’s as well.”

Almost everyone’s gaze snapped to Hogun upon hearing his words, the strangest thing they’d heard him utter in ages. Even Thor seemed astounded. Sif smiled. “Hogun the hopeless romantic?”

Hogun’s grim expression returned almost instantly, as the others laughed. Thor wasn’t quite sure what to make of his trusted friend’s words. Could she truly ensnare Asgard’s people in the same manner as she’d captured Thor’s? He could only hope… or his arguments with Odin would only get worse….

*~*~*

“All I’m saying is an iPad would take this operation to a whole new level. It’s not like it’s an unreasonable request. Besides, the prices have come down a lot!” Darcy argued with her best innocent smile, shoving her hands in her pockets as she watched Jane just outside the van. The sky was grey and dull, with no sign of sun in sight, but it didn’t stop Jane from documenting everything in sight. It seemed like all they ever did was take pictures of the sky, though Erik seemed leery to even do that much these days.

The only reason he was still willing to be involved with the project was because the pay was good, otherwise Lewis wouldn’t have been surprised if he’d gone in search for a teaching gig as far away from the action as possible. She had no doubt he’d love teaching… he certainly enjoyed correcting Darcy every single time she mispronounced some crazy science term. She knew he wasn’t doing it on purpose though. That was just Erik. Honestly, no one would blame him for getting away from all this considering what he’d experienced. The only person who’d managed to remain unscathed after two ‘otherworldly’ encounters of the Thor kind was Darcy… for now anyway.

She didn’t miss the way Clint rolled his eyes, shifting in his seat for a comfortable incline. He’d been put on babysitting duty for almost a week after some really shitty missions gone to hell. Barton wasn’t allowed to talk about it, but Darcy got the feeling he could use the break. He looked tired and haunted at the best of times, but most people just attributed that to his experience as Loki’s mind slave. She knew better. His actions certainly weighed on him, but that wasn’t what kept him up at night. The Director liked to keep his people busy when shit got real, and he gave them a vacation when they’d reached their breaking point. “Fury isn’t going to accept the requisition order, Darcy… and he sure as hell isn’t gonna listen to me. You’re barking up the wrong tree.”

Darcy let out a exasperated sigh. He refused to humor her. Jane was the same way. She didn’t mind being tolerated, but it would be nice if they played ball _sometimes_. “We’ve been out here for hours… I would think if Thor was coming something would have happened by now!”

Jane and Erik seemed to shiver in unison after a strong wind sent hair and clothes aflutter. Jane still looked as sexy as ever… damn her. Erik just looked tired, and perhaps as bored as Darcy felt. Barton followed her gaze with a shrug. “Foster’s call… I’m just here to keep you guys out of trouble.”

“You know time would pass a lot quicker if we had an iPad.”

“It’s gettin’ old, Darce,” he muttered, too busy looking through the windshield with suspicion. She followed his gaze, eyebrows wrinkled in confusion as the sky seemed to move and change more rapidly than usual. Darkened clouds swirled overhead in an eerily familiar format, and she found herself scrambling out of the car in seconds. She knew what was happening. She’d seen it happen before. “Holy crap!”

“Darcy! Back in the car!” Clint shouted over the wind, slamming his door shut as he followed after her.

“It’s Thor… it’s gotta be!” insisted Jane with a mixture of trepidation and delight as Darcy neared them. She could feel her heart skip a beat, smiling wide even as the wind blew the hair in her eyes.

“You don’t know that!” Erik, always the cynic, replied.

“Who else would it be?” added Darcy, shielding her face with her right hand. The sky continued to move along with the wind and the clouds were reaching out to touch the ground only a few meters ahead. The moment it kissed the ground, everything got loud and the air turned to static. It was still hard to see, but there was a glimpse of red inside the funnel of the wind, and Darcy shared a gleeful glance with Jane. “It’s him!”

Jane was off in seconds with Darcy close behind. She could hear Erik shouting for them to wait. He was far too sensible. Barton didn’t even bother, just rushed after them, pulling out his gun with an awkwardness unique to him (he much preferred his bow). “Jesus!” said Clint as the funnel dissipated in an instant and left a single man standing with his long red cape.

“Not Jesus, dude!” Darcy grinned.

Jane’s smile was just as wide. “Thor!”

The woman practically launched herself into Thor’s welcomed embrace, while Clint and Darcy were left rolling their eyes at the affectionate display. It wasn’t that she didn’t have a hopeless romantic side, but Thor and Jane took it to unbearable levels even for her. Darcy waited patiently for Thor to notice the audience, clearing her throat when he made a move for Jane’s lips. She could only take so much. Thor glanced over at Darcy. “Lady Darcy… it is good to see you well.”

“You too, big guy,” she replied.

Clint quirked an eyebrow. “I don’t need to be making any calls for the Avengers, do I? We just put New York back together again.”

Thor’s laugh was gentle and warm, as always. “No, my friend! I come to fetch Jane. It is Asgard that needs her assistance with a mystery we are unable to solve.”

“Mystery?” From the way Jane’s eyes lit up, Darcy could tell she was hoping it was science related. Nothing gave that girl a ‘hard on’ like learning the mysteries of the universe.

Thor seemed to realize this too as his smile deflated some. “I’m afraid this will have little to do with your field of study. There is a boy who has passed through the Bi Frost. We know not where he hails from; however part of his parenthood is Midgardian.”

“Wait, a human? A human kid left on your doorstep?” Darcy questioned in disbelief.

“Half human,” Thor corrected. “His other half is… Jotun.”

“You mean the Frost Giants, Loki’s kind?” asked Jane.

Thor nodded with a grim frown. “We have yet to encounter such a thing. The boy is baffling to say the least. It is my hope that those of his own might reach him where we have not.”

“Reach him?” Barton’s arms were folded, looking less and less relaxed; so much for his break from the harsh realities of his assassin’s creed lifestyle.

“He is mute,” the blonde beefcake explained. “He has suffered trauma, though not even my mother knows exactly what has happened to him.”

Jane didn’t even hesitate. “I’ll help… anyway I can.”

“Me too,” added Darcy, to even her own surprise.

Thor seemed less than pleased. “Darcy-”

“No way are you leaving me here again. I’m coming with Jane,” she insisted. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Thor. She trusted him more than she trusted most police offices, but Jane had been through a lot during their last encounter. This time Darcy wasn’t going to miss a thing. She would be at her friend’s side through all of it.

Barton shook his head. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea, Darce.”

“I don’t give a damn. He’s not leaving me here.”

Erik dropped a hand to Darcy’s shoulder. “Darcy, it may be dangerous… their world-”

Darcy refused to be talked out of anything. She needed to do this. It wasn’t simple curiosity. She couldn’t give two shits what Asgard looked like, though she’d certainly heard enough about it from Jane. This kid was of her kind, had suffered trauma, and was surrounded by burly Asgardians. It was no wonder he wasn’t talking. “Look, I totally aced psychology 101… and I’m way too stubborn to be talked out of this. I’m helping Jane. I may not be Doctor Phil or anything, but I’m awesome with kids! I used to babysit to help pay for college my senior year.”

Thor’s eyes seemed curious as he leaned over to Jane. “Who is this Doctor Phil?”

To Be Continued…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jor sees Darcy for the first time since traveling to the past in the next chapter, and the mystery will slowly unfold from there. Feel free to comment and I might just get inspired to give you the next chapter sooner! lol


	4. Chapter 4

The halls outside his quarters were quiet as evening settled over Asgard. Jor had spent most of the night resting, and trying to avoid answering anymore of Frigga’s many questions. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to be helpful, but he was itching to stretch his legs as anyone his age would. His skin was almost completely healed, and his appetite had returned full force. The guard outside stood watching; his duty to ensure only a select few were allowed inside, and that he was not allowed out. To Jor it was nothing more than a challenge.

He discovered some of his more mischievous abilities sometime after his fifth birthday. His parents had been hiding back on Midgard with Tony Stark’s assistance. Stark disliked Loki for reasons Jor never discovered, but he didn’t seem to mind helping Darcy Lewis. Everyone seemed willing to look after her, in fact… even Thor… sort of. Jor had found a way to reprogram Jarvis’ personality subroutines using his new magical abilities.

There was something awe-inspiring about watching energy flow through and around him as he manipulated matter to his whim. It was a prank gone horribly wrong, unfortunately, when Jarvis ended up locking Stark in the bathroom for several hours. Fireman had to force their way in using large weapons they called an axe while fighting off Jarvis’ defense protocols. No one was hurt, but Tony Stark had not been pleased… nor had his mother. His father, on the other hand, had found his new gifts quite entertaining. He’d begun teaching Jor magic soon after. The boy’s abilities had tripled with each year, surpassing even his father’s skills, though Jor wasn’t sure how that was possible.

It was an easy thing to distract a single guard. A duplicate of himself went rushing past the watchman, and Jor saw him leave his post in a panic, shouting after the projection. Jor’s smile was faint. He hadn’t had many chances to smile in months. The moment the guard was out of sight, Jor snuck away from his prison. It was a relief to have the opportunity to escape the four walls where Frigga had nursed him back to health. He was forever grateful, but his need to see the stars and watch the ocean had won out.

Although most of the hallways were clear, guards still continued their patrols. He had to be weary of shift changes, and listen closely to the footfalls of Odin’s palace guards. He knew the palace well enough from his brief time brought to Asgard during it’s fall. Jor still couldn’t shake the way the women and children screamed. His nightmares were vivid and constant. There’d been Frost Giants and Fire Demons, battle cries of Thor’s men (so completely unprepared), beings from far beyond the nine realms converging and working together to take Asgard. His father had tried to warn Thor of what was coming, but in the end he’d led them to the city itself unknowingly. Jor closed his eyes for a moment to shake away dark and heavy thoughts. It was bad enough he could not escape the horrors in his dreams. He would not dwell on such things in the waking world.

Long and winding steps would lead him to the gardens. Jor knew it would be the perfect place to do some stargazing. The young boy had learned much from his father, and with an eidetic memory, he had the means to create the perfect map of the palace in his mind’s eye. The stairs would surely be empty at such an hour, and none would bother to look for him in the gardens. It was the best place to hide out, for a while, and enjoy a little alone time.

Jor jumped down each step with both feet, smiling when the pain he’d been suffering in his joints seemed nonexistent now. His body had been in such bad condition when he arrived. This Asgard… still under Odin’s command, free from the stain of blood and death. Time travel seemed like the kind of thing that only happened in story books his mother used to tell him during bedtime. His father would roll his eyes and advise his son to keep his head out of the clouds. Darcy insisted on the stories though. She said they taught lessons. She said that one day they would help him be wise, and avoid the mistakes his father had made.

It was strange really. With all the secrets they kept from Jor, never once had they been anything but honest about the mistakes of Loki’s past. Jor knew them all. He could still remember the sorrow on his father’s face as he would recount his troubled past, and his brief taste of insanity. Jor often wondered how someone as pure as his mother could have fallen for a man of such violence. She’d never really given him a satisfying answer. All she ever said was ‘ _oh trust me, fish… I didn’t fall for him willingly!_ ’

Jor’s feet hit the last step with a satisfying echo, and the boy rushed down the hall and shoved the double doors open to meet the outside world with a sigh of satisfaction. The stars were beautiful and bright. Suns and planets billions and trillions of miles away, but their light still shined for Jor’s youthful eyes. His father used to say they were ghosts. Some of those stars were long gone… but it’s light travelled thousands of light years… it was truly remarkable.

“Why do I feel like I’m being snuck in the house after curfew for a little make-out session?”

“Darcy! We really need to talk about getting you a filter!”

Jor rushed over to the wall, pressing against it as he peeked through the crack of the double doors. He hadn’t expected anyone to be up this late. He couldn’t be discovered! He had no idea what they would do if he were to be found outside his quarters. The boy kept to the shadows of the garden, searching for the owner of the voices, hearing them move through the hallway with a gentle ease.

“What, Jane?! I’m just saying! It’s obviously pretty late here….”

“If you believe me to be ashamed of having Midgardian friends, you dishonor me. I may be one of the few to have fallen under the spell of a Midgardian woman, but there are many others who respect your race. My father would not have sent me there if he did not recognize your potential. I will take the two of you to see the boy in the morning. In the meantime, I will arrange quarters for you both.” Jor’s eyes widened as Thor walked ahead of two young women. Their faces were hidden in the shadows of night, but there was no mistaking Thor. A wave of fear and anger washed over him. His heart was pounding against his chest… loud enough to be heard.

Jor gently pushed the door open more so he could see the others better. He still couldn’t make out the faces. Black glasses and a green sweater came into view, but her face was still obscured. Her voice though… he knew that voice. It wasn’t remotely possible, but he knew that voice so well. “Cool… beats whatever the Asgardian version of a Holiday Inn is, I’m sure.”

“I… do not understand,” admitted Thor.

The boy swallowed hard, eyes swelling with unshed tears as light from the stars finally revealed her beautiful face. She was walking next to the other woman, but her eyes continued to rove around her, taking in her surroundings with great curiosity. He couldn’t speak. His throat still swallowed his words like the body of a snake coiled around it’s prey. Jor forgot himself then. He forgot about Thor. He forgot about his escape. All that mattered was her… his mother. Jor shoved open the doors and launched towards her without hesitation.

“Holy shit!”

*~*~*

“He still does not speak?” questioned Odin, tilting his head as he watched the boy from a distance, still clutching the Midgardian woman as if she were his only lifeline.

“No, however he seems insistent that she remain. He began to sob when she tried to pull from his grip,” said Thor with a deep frown.

Frigga, standing close by her kin, knew it was disappointment that plagued her son. Instead of Jane Foster assisting in helping the young boy open up, it was her lowly maid that had found a way to the boy’s mysterious heart. She knew it to be an important development. The boy knew the young woman, and trusted her completely. Still, she felt for Thor and his misguided hopes.

With a sigh she moved past the large men standing by the door, walking purposely towards Darcy Lewis. The child was busy eating, however one hand remained linked with hers. “You know, it’s going to get really awkward for both of us if you insist on holding my hand when you eventually have to pee,” she told him, smiling in amusement.

Frigga cleared her throat, making the young Midgardian jump as she turned to see the Queen of Asgard before her.

“I mean… urinate?” she corrected hesitantly.

She was certainly a strange young girl, though amusing. Frigga turned to smile at them both before taking a seat at the table. “I see you have made a friend,” she said to the boy, glancing over at Darcy. “Does she hold special significance to you?”

The boy nodded.

“I already tried to get him to talk. He can’t,” said Lady Lewis. “I read about this once. We call it selective mutism. It’s like something goes wrong with a person’s amygdala… some type of anxiety disorder. He’s just stressed. I mean, I would be too if I were in a completely alien environment surrounded by people I don’t know…” Darcy trailed off and shook her head smiling. “Well, I mean… he probably just needs time. All this pressure to talk can’t be good for the amygdala, you know?”

She didn’t know. This Midgardian was quite strange indeed, however Frigga was able to grasp the meaning of her words. “You believe whatever trauma he experienced is the reason for his inability to communicate with us. Your theory may have merit, but we are in need of answers.”

Darcy shrugged her shoulders and glanced over at the boy. “Wouldn’t it be just as easy to give him a pen and paper?”

By the gods. It hadn’t occurred to Frigga to try this method. They so rarely used parchment anymore. Darcy Lewis may have been a bit… odd, but she was still quite astute for her age. “I admit with some embarrassment… it did not occur to me.”

Darcy simply smiled. “Lucky for me I just happen to have brought my journal along.” She moved to reach for her bag before pausing to realize she was still very much attached to the young boy who would not release her hand. “Little help?”

Frigga reached into the small carrier, searching for the thin journal threaded together, like a book without words. A writing utensil lay nearby, and Frigga took that too. The boy watched as she laid the items out in front of him. His eyebrow was quirked as he glanced over at Darcy.

“So… you got a name?” Darcy asked.

Finally the boy released her hand, dropping the spoon on the table to slide the book closer. He opened to the front page and began to write. **My name is Jörmungandr. I am called Jor.**

“Jor, huh? Uh… nice.”

Jor… the boy had a name. Frigga looked down at the boy with delight. Finally, they had means of communicating with the child. Her mind raced with all the unanswered questions she’d been holding onto for so long. It was an endless list, but she had to begin somewhere. “Where are your parents?” she asked.

The boy’s smile faded as he glanced over at Darcy again, and then finally wrote down his answer. **My mother was killed by an evil Fire Demon. My father died at the hands of his brother. I tried to stop it. I failed.**

The young Midgardian woman read his words with sad eyes, briefly reaching over to touch his hand in comfort. “I’m sorry,” was all she seemed capable of saying.

He was staring at her. Frigga watched their interaction with interest. The way he looked at her… as if she were his beginning and his end. Jor shook his head with a sad smile, then gripped his pen. **Are you a ghost? Or am I dreaming?**

Frigga and Darcy shared a confused look before Lady Darcy spoke. “No dude… I’m as real as they come. Not a dream. Why do you think I’m a ghost?”

The Queen of Asgard knew that look then. It was clear to her even before he reached for the pen. Having raised two boys of her own… that look had greeted her often once, like the warmth of the sun’s light come morning. Her hand rested on the paper before he could write, and she shook her head. “Perhaps we have learned enough for today. Jor… I must speak with the Lady Darcy privately. Will you allow this?” she asked.

Jor’s grimace was noticeable; he gave a brief nod, and scribbled something down. **What if she disappears?**

Frigga’s smile was kind and patient as she looked back at him. “I will return her to you, Jor. You have my word.”

She pulled Darcy away with earnest as Jor returned to his meal, though less enthusiastically. “So uh… why did you make him stop?” she asked Frigga, frowning.

“I believe I have already discovered the reason behind his attachment to you, Lady Darcy. I wished to spare him your reaction.”

“My reaction?” she questioned.

Frigga glanced over at the boy, and then over at Thor and Odin arguing quietly by the door. She found herself in a difficult situation. The child was her priority. He needed to be cared for, and there was still so little they knew about him. The temporal magic Eir detected during his tests had proved the boy was not of their timeline. It was possible she was making a grave mistake in revealing the boy’s identity.

Thor’s future continued to be uncertain as well, though Odin would surely insist he marry someone worthy. She did not blame him. A Midgardian as Queen… it had never before been done. Something heavy pressed down on her heart, and it was difficult to breathe with such complications surrounding her. She would tackle them each one at a time.

“Lady Darcy… I think… no, I know… the boy, Jor… he believes you to be his mother.”

To Be Continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to try to post one more chapter before I go on vacation. I'm gonna be in Europe for a little less than two weeks, but don't worry! Regular updates the moment I get back! Hopefully, you won't kill me over the cliffhangers! :D


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter until I get back on the 30th, so I tried to make it a good one and give you guys something a little less cliffhanging-ish. lol

Motherhood was a strange and mysterious thing. Darcy had never experienced birth pangs. She’d never watched her belly grow or felt a baby kick her colon into submission. She’d never enjoyed the horrifying pleasure of morning sickness, or argued with whoever’d knocked her up over why all her suffering was their fault. She’d never had any of that, and yet… staring at a screen with two matching DNA strands was more than enough to convince her that she was indeed a mother. It was also enough to convince her that time travel was a bitch, and everything would be so much more epic if she was also a virgin (and ironic).

The alien DNA markers would have given her college professors a run for their money though… there was no doubt about that. “So sometime in the future I have sexy times with a Frost Giant?” she asked Eir.

Eir’s eyebrows rose, obviously at a loss as to how to answer her question. He seemed the closest Asgard had to a scientist, and was one of the few capable of rebuilding the BiFrost. Darcy was certain Jane would be soon having nerdgasms once the two had a chance to speak. In the meantime, Darcy was finding him a little frustrating to say the least. He seemed incapable of dealing with her rather unique personality, forcing Thor step in and speak for him. “Actually Darcy… it’s a bit more complicated than that.”

Things had to get bad when they needed Thor to play interpreter. Lewis glanced from Thor to a deeply troubled looking Frigga. Actually, everyone looked pretty grim. “What? What’s more complicated than having a seven year old kid from the future?”

It was Frigga who laid a hand on Thor’s shoulder, and finally explained. “A Frost Giant’s skin instantly freezes the skin of an Aesir. A Midgardian would far no better. The ability to… prevent this inevitability is rare. Only the most powerful and those skilled with magic are capable of preventing harm to others.”

Darcy couldn’t think of a worse way to go… having a frozen vagina didn’t sound pleasant. She hadn’t really seen a real Jotun before, though she’d heard enough stories about their red demonic eyes and dark blue skin. She hated to think of what could have possibly possessed her to decide she needed some of that. “So um… what you’re saying is you think you know who the father is?”

“We _know_ who the father is,” Eir assured her, looking less and less comfortable as time marched on.

Darcy felt like they were waiting for her to guess or something. Was she on a fucking game show? She just wanted answers, but instead they continued to stare at her as if her mind wasn’t already reeling from the fact that she’d one day be slaughtered to death by a Fire Demon in the future. Oh right… and she had a kid. That was probably a big deal too. “Okay… I’m at the edge of my seat and you choose now to play twenty questions?!”

Jane reached for Darcy’s hand instantly, and it almost made her jump. She’d forgotten the other woman was even there. “It’s Loki, Darcy. They think the father is Loki.”

For a moment Darcy suspected she was kidding. No, she was sure Jane was kidding. Hell, perhaps everyone was in on the joke. She had to admit, they were good at keeping a straight face, but it was obviously a joke. “Am I being punk’d? Haha… let’s screw with the silly ‘Midgardian’ and her mortal friend?” she questioned, eyes roving around at the group refusing to meet her gaze. “This is a joke… right? Because there’s no way in hell I’d ever have a kid with the fucking god of mischief!”

“Darcy!” Jane snapped. Foster was way too concerned about the royalty in the room. Lewis didn’t give a shit. This was her future they were talking about!

Darcy pulled from her embrace with a glare. “This isn’t funny!”

“We do not jest, Lady Darcy… especially about something as troubling as this news.”

She shook her head, clinging to the hope that they were playing some cruel joke on her. Maybe the whole thing was a joke. A kid from the future? She was just barely old enough to drink! “Do your tests again! That isn’t possible!”

“They ran the test several times, Darcy… I was there,” Jane insisted.

“You were there?! So you’re telling me while I was busy trying to talk to the kid… you guys were busy learning that Earth’s worst villain is somehow my baby’s daddy?! What is this?! Jerry Springer?!”

Jane let out a long sigh, arms crossed as she turned to face Thor. “Is there a possibility she was… violated?” she asked with a wince.

That was even better! Not only was she having Loki’s baby… but apparently she could have been raped by him too! But then Thor was shaking his head. “We are taught near the time of puberty how to prevent unexpected pregnancies. When we are in the throes of passion our people have the ability to protect the woman from receiving that which would cause conception. Loki wanted this child… that much is clear,” he explained as a faint blush colored his tanned cheeks.

Darcy rolled her eyes, hugging herself as if somehow it would make everything better. It wasn’t really helping. “Just because he wanted the child doesn’t mean he didn’t rape me, Thor.”

Frigga shook her head. “It is difficult to hear, but you must understand that we view Midgardians as… bordering on barbaric-”

“Jeez, no offence taken!” Darcy interrupted.

The Queen paused for a moment to collect herself. “To have a child with a Midgardian… to have a family with a Midgardian would be risky. Such a feat would take planning and several attempts. The odds of conception are extremely low. Only two people moved by a deep love and connection to each other would dare try.”

“Now I’m supposed to be in love with the psychopath?! He tried to take over my world!” She didn’t mean to shout, but she was damn near close to a panic attack. This was fucking crazy! It didn’t make any sense. “Why the hell would I ever want a baby with that prick?!”

“A better question would be why I would ever wish to have a child with the likes of you.”

Everyone paused and turned to the door as a guard led Loki inside the small room, bowing in respect to both Thor and Frigga before he left them to their privacy once more. No one said a word as all eyes remained on Loki. Darcy was just barely keeping herself from bursting into tears and screaming in horror. She’s certain no one would blame her. She’d never been in the same room with a sick fuck like the god of mischief before. Loki on the other hand seemed almost… amused by the situation.

“Greetings… I understand I am to be a father?”

“Okay… who the hell invited him here?!” bellowed Darcy with a heated glare.

Frigga’s smile was almost timid as she looked upon her lost son. The queen was obviously up to no good, and Darcy was not about to be a part of her schemes. “Jor is suffering a trauma… it was only reasonable that both parents be present to help him recover.”

“He cannot be the father!” she argued.

Loki’s eyes narrowed as he stared at her. “Unimpressive… and apparently unwilling to accept reality. I find myself at a loss to explain how I would ever trust you with my heir.”

Darcy slapped him before she could think about it. She wouldn’t be the first, and Jane had made it through alive… maybe she would to. “You didn’t trust me with anything! You probably raped me!”

Loki’s jaw was clenched as he turned back to face Darcy, eyes narrow and burning with barely controlled rage. “I was born to royalty, Darcy Lewis. It would be foolish for me to force myself on a woman as backwards as your kind… especially with your people’s insistence on extinguishing the life of an unintended pregnancy.”

“It’s called planned parenthood, you asshole!”

“Enough!” shouted Frigga, and even when she raised her voice she was still far too serene. “Jor waits outside, and I am certain he is capable of hearing this conversation. You will restrain yourselves.”

Darcy hadn’t really thought about how her reaction to everything would affect Jor… some parent she’d turned out to be. Fuck it, she wasn’t prepared for any of this. She didn’t know the first thing about being a mother… though who did when their son traveled back in time from the future?

Loki and Darcy held each other’s gaze for a moment longer, and finally it was the god of mischief who turned away. “I request to see the young boy. I find myself… curious as to what has become of him.”

Frigga nodded. “You will be given time with him immediately, of course.”

*~*~*

Jor was born in a cave in the outskirts of an abandoned Jotun village. It was cold, as is often the case on a planet with the perfect Ecosystem for Frost Giants. His father had believed it better (and healthier) for the baby. It was unusual for most children to remember the day of their birth, though he’d heard stories of others that remembered even further. All Jor could really recall was darkness and the chill of the bitter wind as his father wrapped him in blankets and announced breathlessly that their child was a boy (those being pieces he put in place later after being told the story when he was older).

His mother was clinging to life with the help of Loki’s magic. Her body was not equipped for a being of such power. Jor recalled his father stroking her cheek as she fell deep into slumber. He remembered being held by his father and assured that the boy would be loved and cared for… that he would never be the father Odin was. The memories that followed were a blur of confusion. Words made little sense to an infant, but he never forgot how difficult it was every time Loki had to let Jor go.

He had not been an accident, he would learn later. It was Loki who had always ached to have children of his own, especially when he seemed quite certain his past would catch up with him. He wanted an heir, and Darcy (for her love of Loki) was more than willing to comply. They’d kept Jor’s existence secret for most of the boy’s life. Loki’s enemies were many, and almost all of them would have taken great pleasure in dispatching the child just to watch his father suffer. His life would be a constant struggle to be free of his father’s sins. It was Loki’s biggest regret.

No one despised the idea of Loki having a family more than Thor. The boy had not known the god of thunder’s story until the very end. The throne had torn a family apart, and it continued to pull and tear until mistrust was all that remained. Love turned to hate, and betrayal was the bitter taste they both endured. Odin’s meddling was the final nail in the coffin that was their relationship. It seemed ironic in the end that it was Loki who died with the hope of uniting a family destined to remain splintered. Thor’s heart had turned to stone, and there was no changing that.

The past was a stark contrast to all Jor knew to be true. Although he continued to distrust Odin, Thor was far less threatening. A young woman remained by his side, and when he looked upon her… his eyes softened. He was burden free; no scars in sight. Jor was starting to wonder if he found himself peering at time through a tampered mirror. Nothing seemed quite right.

The other issue that continued to weigh on the boy was the spiteful looks between his parents. He’d heard enough of their argument to know they hated each other. Jor was the son of two devoted parents… who loved each other just as much, if not more. Darcy would hold her husband when the nightmares came (mental scares of a lifetime of mental and physical torture under those embraced by the dark). Loki would stroke Darcy’s hair, teasing her with backhanded compliments. _’You are truly a beauty no god could ever deny… are you certain your lineage is Midgardian!’_ Darcy would hit him playfully and they would both laugh.

Jor was used to a life that didn’t exist. He did not belong to this time or these people who’d recently discovered his lineage. The boy was at a loss as to how to behave, how much to tell, and how much to keep forever secret. There was no way such a young mind could comprehend the impact his presence would have on the future. There was no future… only the now. Presently it seemed his parents despised each other. He did not know what to make of any of this. All he knew, was he would not stand it for long.

 **Why must you torture me?** he scribbled, sliding the journal towards Loki. His gaze dropped as his face heated with embarrassment. He did not like to admit his weaknesses, not even to his father.

His father seemed at a loss as he gazed down at the boy. “You think me so cruel? How have I harmed you?” Loki questioned.

Jor reached for the book and responded with the pen. **I am Midgardian and Jotun, the very things you despise. You have made your feelings clear. You treat mother as nothing more than a whore. If you wish to teach me something, I do not understand the lesson.**

Loki’s frown deepened immediately as he read the boy’s words, glancing back at door. Frigga had requested the god of mischief’s presence. He’d been banished from Asgard not long after his imprisonment. Left without a home, the lonely god was forced into hiding with only a select few knowing how to reach him; Heimdall and Frigga being two of them. He was given time to speak with Jor alone, though the boy knew not for how long. Nothing Odin did was ever without a purpose. They wanted to know the secrets the boy kept, and they were willing to use just about anyone to get what they desired most. “You wish me to be dishonest with you? That… woman is not my mate, nor do I understand why I would ever choose to make her such.”

His father had fallen right into his trap. Jor had a purpose of his own. As the son of Loki, his ability to manipulate was beyond measure. **You like her because she’s different. Her mind is not small, and neither is her heart. She reminds you of your mother.**

“I have no mother… technically,” Loki responded.

**Frigga is your mother. She taught you magic. She gave you hope. Mother did the same. She sees what others do not. She is capable of loving what others assume is evil. My mother loved your mischief… and mine.**

His father quirked an eyebrow at the boy, his smile tight. “You dare manipulate a god of mischief?” he grumbled with narrow eyes. Loki could always see right through Jor’s ploys. The boy was counting on that… even now.

 **I do indeed, father. She is the only thing I have ever seen besides myself that was capable of making you happy.** Some might believe a young child could not comprehend something as complex as love. Jor was certainly no expert, but he’d spent his lifetime in the company of love every day… that was more than enough.

Loki released a long and frustrated sigh. “You truly are my son… you wicked thing.”

To Be Continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I should probably just admit I really struggled with trying to decide how Loki and Darcy would interact with Jor, knowing who he is. In the end I settled on putting myself in their place. No matter who you are or what you've done, finding out you have a child changes everything. Even serial killers who are so cold-blooded they can destroy whole families have been known to be especially loving to their children. Maybe it's instinct, or the human condition, but I think it's reasonable to assume that two people (those considered especially good and those with a wicked side) would have a special love for Jor despite being overwhelmed by the fact that they have a future son together. Anyway, maybe I'm wrong, but it's fanfic! *shrug*
> 
> Feel free to tell me what you think though! :D


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm baaaaaaack!!!!! Vacation was fun, and seriously guys... if you've never been to Northern Ireland, you are MISSING OUT ON A BEAUTIFUL THING! If you haven't been to London you are missing out on SHOPPING! Just my two cents. Go read now, go on... I wrote this through jetlag just to make you guys happy!

Asgard had not changed, however Loki was very different indeed. He’d been banished from his home, forced on the run, scrounging for shelter like a pathetic mongrel. There’d been a time he was foolish enough to believe himself a king, but fate had different plans for him. If he could not live the life he wished, he did not intend to make anyone else’s any sweeter. As a god of mischief, the name so implied he bring discomfort to any who would dare think themselves better than him. If he was doomed to this miserable existence, it seemed only just to drag the rest of the universe down to his level.

When invited by the very ones who disowned him, he took his chance to bring vengeance as well. He hadn’t planned on being introduced to a future so… jarring. He was a father. The thought was almost mind-boggling. This boy, his son, had faced something debilitating, and yet he swore without hesitation that he lived well. The child could not even speak! He was a halfling! He was mentally broken! Jor wore his wounds with a smile and kind eyes. It was down-right twisted.

The invitation to Asgard from Heimdall was shocking enough. Loki had been concerned with business. The bounty on his head was high. His skills with disruption and shadow made him an asset to all those basking in the shade of an immoral ambiance. Not to say he’d not learned his lesson. Darkness was one thing, but Thanos was an evil even Loki refused to mix with after all he’d suffered. Thanos was married to death itself, cared for nothing but the destruction and desolation his hatred and blood thirst fueled. Jor was not the only one struggling with scars located deep inside the psyche. Fear and balance were all that kept Loki safe from the monsters.

Jor changed things, nonetheless. Loki may have found himself homeless, but he had yet to lose his senses. To mate and love a Midgardian was almost revolting to the banished prince. Thor may not have minded sharing a bed with small-minded fools, but Loki would like to think his standards higher than that of Darcy Lewis. She was not especially charming, witty, intelligent, or appealing in any way. In fact, she was mind-numbingly normal by Midgardian standards.

Their son was an enigma. The boy was undoubtedly brilliant, and his skills with magic beyond impressive. Jor’s mental stability was certainly a problem, but Loki had no leg to stand on in that regard. He almost envied his son’s contentment in his own skin. Even with the worlds crumbling around him he took comfort in his family, drew strength from his heritage… and somehow in the midst of so much cruelty and injustice, Jor was a happy child. If the science were not sound Loki would disown him for those reasons alone. No child that well off could ever be of his family… it simply made no sense.

He was tempted… oh so tempted, to understand Darcy Lewis. Perhaps there were hidden gems to solve the mysteries of his future. Jor certainly insisted he look beyond the mortal skin for what lied underneath… only all Loki could see was the disappointing mortal bones under that skin. What more was there to see?! Had he not suffered enough scorn in his life? He was a rebel, a branded coward, made weak by the fools who thought themselves better than Loki. What was the point in Darcy Lewis? What was the point of their constant running? Loki wanted great things for himself, but instead he’d settled for rags. How very… disappointing.

The dark prince watched silently as Jor led Darcy to the gardens with wide eyes and a content heart. The mortal woman seemed just as disgusted with betraying her world for the likes of a runaway. It was almost worth his own shame in loving a mortal when it was so obvious she was just as repulsed. Perhaps he should woo her for the sheer amusement? If she were to fall under his spell… he could surely use it against those accursed Avengers. Perhaps he could not take the world, but he would not mind watching the heroes die slowly and painfully for their part in his defeat.

“What?! What am I supposed to be looking at?” Darcy asked Jor. Though her voice hinted of impatience, there was a softness in her eyes most familiar to Loki. The softness was a trait found with mothers, it so seemed; as he remembered vividly how often Frigga blessed him with such looks. Jor scribbled in his notebook and showed her the contents. Darcy’s eyes narrowed, her smile melting away like the icecaps under her world’s bitter sun. “Please… don’t tell me this is your brilliant plan to get me on the Loki train, cause I can assure you… it’s a waste of time. Besides, he’s banished… how could he have taken me here for our first date?”

Again Jor’s hand busied to reply in the only way he knew possible.

Darcy snorted in derision. “He snuck me here? Why am I not surprised?! Was I drunk at the time? Probably drugged….”

The poor boy was certainly persistent. His wide eyes were darkening, but he wrote his reply eagerly.

Darcy tipped her glasses up and read his words out loud. “ _He wanted you to see the gardens. Frigga had him practice his magic here._ That’s real sweet, kid, but I’m more interested in finding out exactly how I lost all moral sense.”

Jor rolled his eyes much as Loki often had when enduring the thoughtless blathering of a young Thor. There was no doubt about it… this child was of his kin. The exasperation was clear on Jor’s face. He stared at Darcy Lewis for a brief moment, then turned to look around him. It wasn’t until he finally stopped that Loki realized what the boy was up to. One of Frigga’s… of her private garden. Each flower had a meaning, and as the boy’s hand pressed into the dirt Loki watched only certain flowers bloom. The Heliotrope was first… meaning Eternal Love. Honeysuckle meant Bonds of love. Loki leaned in close as the next flower seemed to appear by the others, growing at incomprehensible speeds. First Hollyhock which meant Ambition, and Zinnia which meant… Thoughts of absent friends. Finally, Willow and Tansy… Sadness and Hostile thoughts.

The boy stared at his makeshift garden for a moment before summoning a fire to burn each thing of beauty. The vibrant colors turned to ash, and the very dirt in the ground grew so dark it was almost painful to watch. Only one flower remained when Jor was done… a daisy. Loki could not remember what this flower meant. It’d been so long since his lessons with Frigga. It was her that had taught him each garden carried meanings. Each color implied intentions of the heart. Nothing in her garden was ever an accident. The daisy was an unimpressive flower, and Loki found himself at a loss. What did it mean? What could this flower possibly convey?! Jor could not explain with words. He lacked the ability to speak, but the intent was clear.

Did Darcy understand? Did she know what the flowers meant? Did she understand the strange illustration Jor provided her? His intentions were unclear. Loki could not comprehend, but Darcy Lewis did not seem to be struggling at all as she walked over to the boy and plucked the lone flower from the dirt. Finally, she smiled. “Daisies are my favorite. My mom used to grow them.”

Jor smiled back, scribbling in his journal. Loki strained to see the letters, and his eyes widened in understanding.

**My father told me what the flowers mean. Innocence and hope… that’s what you are. Loki’s past means very little to us now, mother. The ambition that brought him hostility, sadness, and loneliness… none of them matter. The love choked by lies will heal in time. All that remains is you. He hated daisies… until he met you.**

Darcy frowned, staring down at the flower. “Damn… you guys really have a flair for the dramatic don’t you? It’s kind of annoying.”

The boy only beamed, taking back his flower from Darcy’s hand to drop it in the book. He closed his journal tight. Between the pages it would remain preserved. The look Jor gave his mother was filled with intensity as he rushed off. Neither seemed to notice his pen lay forgotten in the dirt….

It was simple curiosity and nothing more. He would learn this woman fate demanded he entwine his future with. It took several minutes for Loki to gather the nerve to clear his throat. Darcy jumped, eyes meeting his in alarm. “You scared the crap outta me!”

Loki’s nose wrinkled as he pulled from the shadows to take his place beside her. “I assure you, that was not my intention. Will you be needing a change of wardrobe?”

Darcy seemed less than amused. “Funny! You know if this whole world domination doesn’t work out, and trust me… it doesn’t seem to be working out, you should try your hand at comedy. People are already laughing at you… might as well do it on purpose this time.”

He wanted nothing more than to gag her. She wasn’t worth his efforts, but he would be doing the universe a service if he managed to keep her mouth inactive for a time. “You test my endurance, Lady Darcy… were you another maid I would surely have dispatched you by now.”

A roll of the eyes as she glanced down at the space Jor had used for his haunting demonstration. It was bare and hardened from the scorch of fire… yet somehow a daisy had managed to thrive. The soil would be altered, and erosion was soon to follow. His mother often found it fascinating how the earth healed itself; germination progressed despite the losses, thriving on the gains. It was a process he knew little about, though he respected the cycle of life nonetheless. “Consider me terrified,” she replied, voice dripping with sarcasm.

She wasn’t terrified of him. Darcy seemed just as unimpressed as he. Why was that so infuriating? He’d certainly dealt with enough women uninspired by his presence. Standing in Thor’s shadow had done more than impact his sanity. Loki knew how to bring a woman to his bed if he so wished it, but Asgard was a city of women just as hardened and cold as the Lady Sif. What use were such women to him when his eyes held firm to the throne? “I find you… galling,” he admitted finally.

Lewis shook her head. “I swear to god if that’s anything like mewling quim… I will taser you.”

Now that would be an amusing sight, indeed. Her pathetic weapon would not harm him, of course, but Thor had warned him of the device. She liked to fight dirty, and he could certainly respect that. Thor could be intimidating even at his worst. One could not quibble with right and wrong when being threatened by a dizzying oaf. “The boy will not rest until we have come to understand this choice fate is insistent we make.”

“I’d rather chew glass.”

Loki’s eyes sparkled in amusement. “Only if I may watch… anything inflicting damage to your tongue is worth my attention.”

Darcy folded her arms and stared Loki down. “Let’s just get this straight, you lunatic! I hate you. I hate everything about you. You are nothing but a selfish, pompous jackass! You tried to take over my planet and you _hurt_ people! I’d like nothing more than watch you strung up, but unfortunately I am just stupid enough to believe in the justice system around here! Leave me the hell alone, because trust me when I say… whatever fate had in mind? It. Ain’t. Happening.”

She ended her little rant with a poke at his chest, and Loki could do nothing but laugh. “You mistake my presence with interest? You dare judge me for my actions? Are your rulers any better? Do they not kill, cause ruin, and inflict their ways upon others with just as much cruelty? This delusion you have of the way the universe works… it amuses me so much Darcy! Thor would have me dead with my kind not but days before being banished from Asgard, and yet you seem eager to consider his presence of comfort. I wonder if you would feel that way still if you know how many lives we extinguished together in battle. You hate me for what I have done? Your kind would do much worse if let loose. They can’t even stand their own kind… imagine what damage they would cause to the other realms if they were capable. I am the least of your worries.”

“Power corrupts, but-”

“And absolute power corrupts absolutely!” Loki snapped angrily. “You scurry about as if you are the center of the universe! You shove ideals on those more alike to you than any you would find on the other realms connected to the BiFrost. Pathetic! You, Darcy Lewis, are asleep! You are dreaming! A fine dream, I must admit, but most assuredly fiction! The world you live in is cruel and disgusting… in desperate need of guidance! You squabble among yourselves, find all that makes you different in a desperate attempt to elevate yourselves and for what?! You are mortals! Your life ends in the blink of an eye! Nothing you accomplish is worthy of any pause, but still you stumble for the top of your little totem pole!” He found her ideals unreasonable and disgraceful. She was no symbol of hope! There was no hope in a universe where men like Thanos were allowed to thrive! “The next time you wish to judge my actions, perhaps it would be best to concern yourself with the demons already running licentiously on your pathetic world!”

Darcy’s eyes were wide when he had finished. “Did I uh… hit a nerve?”

Loki yanked down his breastplate in annoyance. “Perhaps.”

Strange how her attitude had shifted. He wasn’t quite sure what to make of the way she stared at him. “Thor says someone compelled you to do it… but you won’t tell him you. You insist you acted alone.”

“My actions were mine alone. No one manipulates me.” Loki would prefer not to rehash the details of his time with Thanos and the Other. Some nightmares should be reserved for times of rest. He was quite content with that.

A smile? Why would she possibly be smiling? “Jor seems pretty good with manipulation. He’s why you’re talking to me… isn’t he? He’s manipulating both of us.”

Loki grunted, partly in frustration and partly in agreement. “The runt is most assuredly mine.”

Darcy turned back around. Loki did the same. Awkward… these moments they shared. He knew not what to make of them. Should he leave? Would she be the one to make her exit? Why was he finding it so difficult to understand his own mind where Darcy was concerned? He felt… unsteady in her presence. They stood in silence for several minutes before she finally had the nerve to speak. “I still hate you.”

“The feeling is _entirely_ mutual.”

To Be Continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jor's illustration of the flowers and their meaning was not something he came up with on his own. All the questions Darcy and Loki have regarding their own relationship were just as popular in their son's mind. I knew all about the story of my parents at his age, and I found their interest in each other extremely confusing considering how different they were and are. It occurs to me that Jor would feel the same, and let's face it... the dramatic flair is most definitely something he acquired honestly from his Daddy!
> 
> The meaning of each flower was done with internet research, so who knows how reliable it all was. It did suit my needs quite nicely though.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Currently, I still feel that Loki has distanced himself from the horrors of his own actions. People are nothing but objects to him, and so he shows no real regret or remorse... but it's all an act, because inside he knows what he did was wrong. The reality of his actions need to catch up with him slowly. Hopefully I convey that well enough in this chapter.

“Do you fancy the Lady Darcy?”

Loki’s mood was dark, but this was almost always the case. Darcy Lewis refused to leave his thoughts, and he found himself utterly at her mercy. It was disquieting, but not nearly as upsetting as the company he was forced to keep in order to rid himself of such absurdity. “It continues to amaze me that someone of your background, stature, and breeding could carry a mind no larger than an acorn.”

Thor’s smile was confounding. “I will take that as a ‘maybe.’ You do love a challenge….”

“I would love your silence even more,” Loki replied with a growl, though silence was not what kept him in Thor’s presence. It was humiliating to be subject to a power not even he could rebel against. Fate controlled all things, and even Loki was subject to it… but he would not accept the future blindly until he was certain the reasons were sound. “She is a _mortal_! She is unimpressive! She makes no efforts to hide her distaste of my very presence. Jor seems so certain we are fated, but the boy is obviously causing mischief of his own.”

It was strange to see wine in Thor’s cup. The overgrown would-be king enjoyed his indulgences and saw no need for restraint. “I am certain you will find the tools which will tame her,” muttered Fandral, looking relatively bored. Volstagg was almost completely unconscious with the burden of food and wine in great quantities not even he could endure. Sif and Hogan had scrambled off almost the moment Loki entered the room. He was not offended by their inability to remain in his presence. He wasn’t exactly fond of their company either.

“She is not a stag or a mare! She is a woman. You fight beside the Lady Sif and you dare utter such words?” Thor corrected with a glare. His eyes conveyed a vivid warning, and Fandral immediately straightened in his banquet chair.

“I meant no disrespect to Lady Darcy. However, it should be noted Loki has never been known for his abilities to court a woman respectably.”

Loki disliked to be spoken of when he was so obviously _still_ in the room. “My aims were never so pathetic,” growled Loki.

“No indeed not… you preferred world domination to the conquering of woman-folk,” teased Fandral with a flip of blonde hair. It was meant to be a jest, but Loki was not laughing.

Thor cleared his throat before blood could be shed. “Regardless of Loki’s vial hobbies… it’s obvious she interests you, brother.”

“Would it matter if she did? She detests me.” Perhaps that was what bothered Loki most, and it shouldn’t. He enjoyed the collective hatred of most of his own kind. The more people he scorned, the better he felt. Darcy’s resistance to his charm should not bother Loki… not that he endeavored to be charming in her presence.

“Is it so shocking? You did lead a campaign to rule her realm, Loki,” Frandral was just barely sober as he refilled his mead for the sixth time while struggling to speak coherently.

Thor shook his head. “That is not what bothers her so.”

“Truly? She made it quite clear it was a concern last we spoke,” muttered the god of mischeif.

The blonde prince sighed, shaking his head. “She would be betraying more than her kin, Loki. Your attack in New York ended the life of a dear friend. The wounds run deep, though she seems eager to avoid discussing the loss.”

It was the first time he’d heard of it… Darcy lost a friend during Loki’s attack. It would certainly explain her foul mood where he was concerned. “How do you know of this?” Thor was rarely so perceptive. It stood to reason he was fed the knowledge from elsewhere.

“Lady Jane told me what occurred. I believe it was the Black Widow that dragged Lady Darcy’s friend from the rubble with help from their healers, but nothing could be done. She’d long since expired. Lady Darcy had intended to be with her dear friend, but the Son of Coul assured me my friends were placed somewhere safe and protected.”

Loki’s stomach twisted in ways he could not comprehend. Such news changed things, and he found himself at a loss. What mortal life could possible matter in the grand scheme of things? No life had ever impacted him in such a way, and it was just how Loki preferred it. “Pathetic mortals… they scurry like ants underneath us, but have the nerve to hold us in contempt when one of them is crushed.”

Thor rolled his eyes, finally downing the last of his drink. “You cannot truly be so cold,” he insisted.

“Am I not Jotun?”

“Their skin is indeed icy, but I have yet to hear the same about their hearts.”

Oh how Loki hated the son of Odin. Thor dared look down at Loki, while atop his high horse, but had he not hated the Frost Giants just as passionately once? “Then perhaps you keep company with the wrong people,” Loki snapped.

Frandral took that moment to look back at the god of mischief with barely masked contempt. “He did… once, but then you were banished.”

*~*~*

It started with a phone call. Darcy was dragged away with Jane too suddenly to really consider what was happening. She wasn’t going to argue when there was a free flight involved. Then she heard the words ‘private plane’ and she’d found herself packing before Jane could blink. It never occurred to her that it was all smoke screens to keep Jane safe while Loki used Selvig to suit his own demented plans. Darcy wasn’t supposed to be part of the deal. Shield hadn’t expected Jane to drag the awkward intern to an observatory in Traunsee, Austria. Darcy was supposed to be in New York with Tara Wilson. If not for Jane… she’d have been dead… but instead it was just Tara. Darcy was lucky, and perhaps that’s what bothered her most.

It ended with another phone call. One minute Darcy was taking pictures of a little town so picturesque she was pretty sure she was sleep walking. Jane got word that something was happening in New York. On the news they watched buildings blown to pieces as the Avengers struggled to save the defenseless. Hulk flew from building to building, Hawkeye’s arrows showered their enemies, Iron Man and Thor flew through the air like birds of prey, and the Black Widow and Captain America did what they could to protect those exposed on the ground. Darcy tried to call Tara’s cell, but the damn thing just kept going to voicemail. She wouldn’t find out until three weeks later that they’d recovered Tara’s body in the rubble. She’d been bleeding internally and the medics got to her too late. Darcy hated fate… especially when it dared decide her roommate and best friend should bleed to death under the rubble of New York while Darcy was busy taking pictures.

Jor was sweet and utterly charming despite his inability to speak. It bothered her that all she ever seemed to do was crash his dreams when he’d insist on talking about Loki. It wasn’t even that Darcy held Loki responsible for everything that happened. She wasn’t an idiot. Loki was hiding something about his part in New York. Thor suspected his brother made a bad deal or accepted a bargain that he wasn’t capable of holding up his end to. She didn’t know the details and she didn’t care to know them. Fate was insisting in the future she’d fall for the man that tried to destroy New York, the psychopath that was responsible for so many lives… and that included Tara’s.

She’d been through the five stages of grief. She loved Tara. She’d certainly missed Tara. Life moved on, though, and so did Darcy. It didn’t change the fact that she’d be betraying someone very important to her by even allowing the very thought of a relationship with Loki. Psychopath… the man was a friggin’ psychopath, and no one would be telling her differently, and that included Jor.

“You’re not handling this well, are you?” asked Jane, breaking the silence that had fallen between them.

“Would you?”

“Probably not… but I didn’t lose someone in New York,” Jane admitted.

Darcy tucked her legs under her, letting her chin drop to her knees. It took a lot more work than most girls her size considering she was blessed with D cups that refused to deflate (not that she really wanted them to). “Loki didn’t technically kill her… I suppose.”

“His army did… and that’s just as bad,” insisted Jane with a sigh. She was sitting on the bed across from Darcy, using the pillows as a back rest and flipping through some science book she was too distracted to actually read.

The fight left her body in an instant. Her muscles lost all tension and for a brief moment she felt normal again. She hadn’t felt like herself since New York. Everyone was a bit rattled, but not everyone had suffered loss like she had. “It’s just… Jor! He’s just as innocent as Tara, but he’s going to end up a casualty unless I accept whatever’s coming! Jor deserves to exist… but how the hell could someone as evil as Loki make someone so… sweet?” Jor seemed to almost worship the ground Loki walked on, and that scared Darcy more than anything. She’d watched him use magic. He made flowers grow and summoned fire like it was child’s play… and for Jor it really was!

“You feel like if you decide to pursue this… or at least see what Loki’s about that you’ll be betraying Tara’s memory?”

Darcy didn’t move, but her eyes searched out for Jane’s and for a moment she had to force back the tears threatening to fall. Her vision blurred, and her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. How pathetic! Was she really going to cry right now? “It’s not fair that Loki get’s to be happy. Tara was… amazing. She had dreams, and she was going to do so much good! She was going to make a difference and now she can’t! He took that from her! He took that from the world! How do you let something like that go?!”

Jane didn’t have the answer any more than Darcy did. This moral dilemma was eating her alive, and it left a bitter taste in her mouth. She wanted to scream. She wanted to rebel against all of it. She wanted fate to stay the hell away from her. Was this why she’d been spared? Stuck to Jane’s side and she’d just barely avoided death for this? Was she being punished? What terrible thing could she have done to be fated to a murderer?

“This whole situation is sick as fuck!” Darcy muttered and closed her eyes because her voice was shaking and she knew she was about to cry. She hid her face in her arms and Jane was by her side in an instant. For the first time since the two women had met the roles were reversed. Darcy was in way over her head, and Jane could only stand by her side and be the supportive one. Arms wrapped around her and she was busted. There was no way of holding back the sobs. It was crashing down on her at once. Her hatred, her anger… the fight was gone (for now at least). All she currently felt was broken and lost. She couldn’t stop crying. She couldn’t even be bothered to try.

*~*~*

Jor could only recall a bad day between his parents once in all his memories of them. His mind was rarely incomplete when it came to memories. They rarely fought. Jor never endeavored to learn what caused their arguing, though it seemed clear his father was planning something rash. Loki believed himself self-serving. He would sacrifice his life for his family, because they were the only good he’d ever had. Whatever the situation had been, there seemed little chance of it ending any time soon.

And so, Jor remembered sitting off in another room with his hands clasped over his ears in a desperate attempt to muffle the bursts of raw intensity that he was so unfamiliar with. He’d tried to drown out their screams with music. Magic had been of little use to Jor in such an emotionally taxing state. There was only one option to escape such emotional turmoil. He’d grabbed his things, packing them in a modest little bag… and he ran.

He didn’t remember how long he’d run. He couldn’t even remember how far he’d run. He wouldn’t have stopped if his parents hadn’t followed. In the end it was clear what mattered to them most. No argument could ever be as important as the family they struggled to keep together in the face of insurmountable odds. Perhaps it was foolish at the time… but it had worked.

His ability to escape a situation had only improved since then. Magic gave him the gift only few mastered. He knew how to slip into the cracks of space itself. With his health completely restored, he’d already seen where he might go. Some cracks sent shivers down Jor’s spine, or sent his temperature soring. Each realm was different, each occupied space carried it’s own extremes. The boy could go anywhere. He had no doubt his parents would still follow even now.

He left the note by his bed, and tucked the preserved daisy as a gift for Darcy alone. There was only one place he could think of that would provide him the safety he so desired, and the peace he sorely lacked. His accursed tongue refused to release the anger and frustration boiling inside him. The situation was desperate, and he could stand it no more. In all of the boy’s life there was only one person he’d ever seen both his parents trust without hesitation.

Everything was left to be found, and Jor summoned the crack he desired most that would provide him passage to Midgard. Heimdall would surely realize Jor was missing very soon. He had to make hast. With one last look at the city that had torn him down and raised him up so eloquently, Jor followed the path to his truest home. His parents were sure to follow. If they did not than his endeavors were meaningless, and the future he intended to save would cease to exist completely. The boy didn’t mind a quick rewrite, but there were some things he firmly believed in… the bonds of his parent’s love being one of them. They would come for him. They would come or all would be lost, and sweet oblivion would erase him from time itself.

His smile was wide when he heard the sharpest of screams, and watched Tony Stark stagger to the floor to catch his breath. No one understood the difficulties of brilliance when sullied by the disabilities of emotional stability. “How the hell did you just appear in my kitchen, kid?!” Stark shouted between gasps of air.

Jor handed him the paper bag. He’d seen these attacks and endured them often enough by now. Stark didn’t even hesitate to use it in an effort to calm his anxiety. Jor wondered how much he should reveal to the man of Iron. At this point in Stark’s time stream he would never appreciate the son of Loki. Perhaps it was best if he only claimed his Midgardian heritage until others could more fully explain the situation. The boy scribbled away in his notebook and showed his words to Tony Stark.

**I am the son of Darcy Lewis. May I rest from my journey in this place? I have been made aware that you are surprisingly charitable to children.**

Stark lowered the paper bag, staring back at Jor. “I have really gotta lay off the sauce….”

To Be Continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise Stark! I decided to keep his involvement a bit of a secret, but after watching Ironman 3 it just makes sense that Jor and Tony needed to be in the same room together!


	8. Chapter 8

“He’s not a stray puppy… we aren’t keeping him!” growled Tony with a suspicious glance Jor’s direction. Jor sipped his 2% glass of milk silently, flipping through a deck of playing cards as his only means of entertainment. Pepper Potts had provided the cards not long after Tony’d dragged her into the kitchen to make sure he wasn’t seeing things. The kid was; in fact, real as Pepper’s eyes had immediately brightened with a softness inherited by most women with a uterus and ovaries. Perhaps he was being a bit sexist. There had to be some women in the world less interested in the lice infested irritations mankind called children. Tony was seriously done with kids. It was bad enough he was trying to behave for Pepper, but there was no way in hell he’d be having little Starks of his own to completely screw up. His father’s lessons were not easily forgotten. Serial killers made better fathers than a Stark.

Pepper’s eyes narrowed in exasperation at Tony’s resistance. “What? Can’t stand the idea of helping a living being without the boobs and full sensual lips for once?”

“I’m not good with kids, Pepper. You know this,” he replied, tapping on the space where his reactor had once been. Instead sensitive skin replaced the round metal, and a nail grazed stitches just hard enough to hurt. “Dear god, Pepper… don’t make me interact with it!”

“ _He_ is obviously in need of our help, and you’re going to do the right thing here, whether you like it or not.”

“I save the world over and over again! What more do you people want from me?” Tony whined, glancing back at Jor who had moved onto the chocolate chip cookies… _Tony’s_ chocolate chip cookies. He dipped a cookie in the milk as if conducting an experiment, then smiled happily at the results the moment he took a bite. Pepper’s arms folded, which was never a good sign. He wasn’t sure why he bothered to argue when all it ever led to was absolutely zero sex. He was getting nowhere fast, but she usually melted if he laid it on thick. “Honey, we don’t know a thing about this kid!”

“He seems to know plenty about you.”

That’s really what bothered him most. It was one thing to go on what was in the papers. His Malibu mansion was sunken and he’d been living in a second home he’d purchased _because_ it was a secure area. No one knew where he was staying, and certainly not the press. How did the kid get through security? Why hadn’t Jarvis alerted him? “That’s what bothers me, Pepper! He behaves like he knows me, and I don’t know a single thing about him!”

“Then I suggest you change that,” replied Pepper with a nudge towards little Jor.

Tony sighed, staring back at the kid while he chewed, big eyes staring back without fear and full of innocence (doubtful… the kid was too smart to be innocent). He was sizing Jor up the best he could, but all the boy did was chew and blink. Pepper rolled her eyes and walked beside him to the kitchen’s island. Jor’s feet dangled off the stool and he swung them idly. Tony leaned on the other side of the island while Pepper took the initiative. “You told us… or rather wrote down that your name is Jor, correct?”

Jor nodded.

“Son of Darcy Lewis? Who the hell is Darcy Lewis?” he interrupted.

Jor frowned, pushing aside his cookies to scribble in his weird notebook. Why couldn’t the kid just talk to him?! **Friend of Jane Foster.**

Tony’d heard that name before. It was very familiar… shit, that was the chick that looked after Thor his first visit to planet Earth. Weren’t they banging… he was pretty sure they were banging. “Thor’s girlfriend?”

There was a pause, and the blinking stopped. Suddenly the kid looked anything but comfortable, hands quickly scribbling in his book. **Forgive me, I am not a friend of Thor.**

That was interesting. So the kid had issues with big man and his hammer. “And who are you a friend of?” he questioned.

**I am your friend.**

Tony snorted at that. “I don’t even know you, kid.”

Jor was looking less and less comfortable by the second. **Is Thor coming here?**

The fear in his eyes was palpable. He was genuinely afraid of goldie-locks and his hammer of justice. What the hell? “How do you know Thor?”

Color drained from Jor’s face as if he was seconds from being sick. The kid was flustered. In fact, he looked borderline terrified. Tony knew that kind of fear, and it always led to trouble. He thought of Pepper, of what she might be dragged into this time. There was no way he’d let it get as far as it did with the Mandarin. **Thor is my uncle. I am sorry, please do not be mad. I am the son of your enemy Loki. I just want to be safe.**

Tony was out the kitchen in seconds grabbing a tablet on his way. _Loki_. That was all it took. Stark was done talking. That kid was out just as fast as Tony could throw him out. No more armies. No more end of the world scenarios. He was calling Banner. He was calling Shield. Hell, he might even call Captain ‘Morals’ to sort this crap out.

“Tony! What are you doing?!” shouted Pepper, rushing after him.

“Loki?! I have the son of Loki in my house!”

“He’s scared!”

“He’s dangerous!”

“How could Jor be dangerous?!” she argued, far too forgetful for her own good. She let emotion get the best of her. She just saw an innocent kid, but those made for the best weapons. Loki was probably up to something and Tony was not planning on being a puppet to his sick games.

“Jarvis! I want that kid watched, send a suit if you have to! Call Rhodey! If he blows his nose too hard I want him knocked out!” Tony shouted orders.

 **“Shall I be taking his milk and cookies as well, sir?”** remarked his ass of a super computer.

Tony paused, glaring at the ceiling. “They are my cookies, so yes! The son of Loki doesn’t get to eat my cookies!”

“Tony, you’re being ridiculous!” Pepper insisted, catching up to him.

“Ridiculous?! Loki uses people to carry out his evil plans, Pepper! It’s his MO! He’s a manipulative shit, and he’s using that kid! Hell, maybe the kid’s even in on it! Like father like son and all that.” His hands were flying across the pad as he sent an alert to Shield. It was an easy thing getting into their alert system after all the bugs he’d planted last time they’d worked together. Every computer screen would be demanding Fury contact him. Black Widow and Hawkeye would get text messages while hanging off the side of buildings urging them to contact Stark. He was taking no chances.

“He told us who he is knowing you wouldn’t trust him! What sense does that make?!”

“None!” Tony bellowed, turning back to face her and pointed at the kitchen where he’d left Jor. “He’s just like his father! He doesn’t play by the rules, and he likes chaos! He is not staying here!”

Something yanked softly on his pants, and Stark froze, looking down to see Jor standing beside him. He resisted the urge to scream as he jumped away. “Jarvis! I thought I told you to watch him?!”

**“Notice… sir, he appears to have left the kitchen.”**

There was nothing worse than an AI who didn’t take Stark seriously when he was scared shitless. He resisted the urge to throw things at the walls in retaliation. Jor held up his notebook. **Loki is in Asgard. Thor sent for my mother and Jane when I was found. I need your help to save, not destroy. The son of a mischief maker is not easily trusted, but I have been raised with a morality beyond that of my father’s. Bad things will happen soon, and I think I am supposed to help. I now have a plan. I’m going to revolt against fate.**

Pepper glanced over at Tony, slipping the tablet from his grasp. “Maybe we should find out what’s going on before we send for the tanks… hmmm?”

*~*~*

_Some Time In The Not Too Distant Future_

Thor Odinson was once said to have been kind and gentle. Not many could remember such a time, only those who had witnessed it personally understood how far their king had fallen. The contrast was black and white, and filled with so much grey. Sif wondered if anyone would ever see the sun again. Too many people were dead. Asgard was in ruins. Jor was gone, and there was no trail for anyone to follow… not that it mattered with Darcy Lewis lying burned to a crisp and Loki left to be tended by Eir with little chance of ever being revived. The city was in pieces. Their people left in the ruins of the rebel force that had risen up against them all. No such army had ever been gathered against Asgard. They’d paid a dear price for their pride.

“We won’t stop until our home is avenged,” growled Thor angrily. Acid burned the side of his face around his right eye, and Sif had no doubt his vision in that eye was gone. Would he choose a patch similar to his fathers? Once again the son would follow in the same steps of his father, make the same mistakes, but would he learn from them as Odin did? Odin learned far too late. Though it hurt Sif to see her husband scared, she respected the skills of the person responsible. Jor’s powers were beyond even his own control when fear took over. Sif had hoped to save Darcy Lewis, but mortals were far too easily killed. Jor attacked Thor in an effort to protect his father and himself, but in the end the fear in him prevailed. Loki would have his son survive even if he should die to ensure Jor’s continued existence. It was a redeeming quality among many Sif had come to see. In the years since Darcy and Jor, the god of mischief had changed. Only a few could see it. Thor was not one of those people. He was blinded by a betrayal that few knew anything about. Odin died with his secrets, and it had taken years for Sif to discover them herself.

“This was not your brother’s fault,” Sif whispered.

“Brother?! You dare to call him brother?! He is not of my kin! He destroyed what was left of my loyalty long ago!” the king growled bitterly.

“It seems it is not just your loyalty that has suffered, my king,” was her reply, and her hands shook at even daring to utter such words. There was a time they spoke freely with one another. There was a time when Fandral and the others could laugh and jest with him as allies. No laughter echoed in the ruins of Asgard, but even before this battle… the walls had remained silent for quite some time. She could not have foreseen what would come about. She could not have known how hardened Thor would become. Humanity was a weakness to the minds of Aesir, but when Thor lost his… all was lost with it.

Thor settled back into the throne seat, eyes dark with a warning. “Be mindful of your tongue, wife.”

“And if it were Jane here… would you have her silent as well?”

Her name was like poison to Thor’s veins. His hammer hurled through the air on a mission, crashing into the wall beside Sif and sending her ducking as rock fell overhead. “We travel to the BiFrost the moment our armies have cleared the way! I will have Loki’s son!”

That was all that mattered now… the son of Loki. A boy with those gifts… the possibilities were endless. Not even he fully understood. Jor was a surprise to them all, like light in an endless darkness… ironic that a god of mischief and chaos deliver that light. Loki was indeed a being of incredible intelligence. His son was birthed for a purpose. That tricky, mischievous god… Frigga would be proud.

*~*~*

_Present_

**Would you like to see a magic trick?**

Pepper’s smile was watery as she glanced up at Tony, and back at the little boy that had Tony on edge. While Stark busied himself arguing in a conference call with Rogers and Fury, she’d been left to watch after Jor. “Sure, why not?”

Jor smiled gratefully, glancing down at the deck of cards and displayed them as if he wanted her to pick, so she reached for the middle card and glanced down. It was the King of Hearts. The boy was staring at her for a second. He looked older than his age, and more tired than was possible after all the sugar he’d ingested. **I know you’re card. I see it in my mind. Look at me.**

Pepper stared back at Jor. “You think you know it, huh?”

He nodded and scribbled words. **The King of Spades.**

She almost felt bad as she shook her head. “King of Hearts… sorry.” Jor didn’t seem bothered that he’d been wrong, his eyes focused on the card in her hand as if urging her to look again. Finally Pepper followed his gaze, gasping as she saw not hearts, but spades. That wasn’t possible. She’d clearly seen it was the King of Hearts. It was there, but now… only the King of Spades was tucked away in her hand. “How did you… how did you do that?”

Jor had already written his answer. **The King’s heart turned black, because he was forced to leave his Queen.**

Pepper found his words eerie. He had innocent eyes, but calculating. His magic trick wasn’t just for fun. He was trying to tell her something. “Jor… who is the king of hearts?”

He seemed relieved by her question. He held up his journal. **Thor.**

To Be Continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Doing my best to further along the plot, but not give away TOO much. I hope you're paying attention to the riddles Jor's leaving. He doesn't want to reveal their future, but he's also trying his hardest to make changes... which means some spoilers need to be given. Please keep the comments coming! I thrive on the encouragement. Also, for anyone reading my other unfinished story, I should be posting another chapter tomorrow if work isn't too crazy. I'm taking advantage of my free weekends to get writing done, but it's tough when you work at an animal hospital that you might as well be living in. lol


	9. Chapter 9

“What do you mean he’s gone?!” she shrieked with alarm. Darcy was in a panic. She’d made plans to see Jor in the morning for breakfast only to find an empty room; an hour and two search parties later, but there was no trace. “He’s been known to wander off, Thor… he must have gotten lost! Or maybe he’s just out too far! You need to keep looking for him!”

Thor’s frown deepened, behaving more like a child being scolded than a god of thunder. “I assure you, Lady Darcy… the men responsible for looking after Jor will be punished.”

Darcy tried her best to take a few cleansing breathes. Thor’s priorities were all wrong and freaking out would get her nowhere. “I don’t care about who is responsible, Thor… I just want to know what happened to Jor.” She could feel Loki’s presence nearby, though he seemed far less concerned. She was tired of his conceited disposition, and complete lack of interest in finding Jor. She turned to glare at him. “He’s you’re son too… nothing helpful from the god of arrogance and egotism?”

Loki turned his head to look at her. Arms folded, eyes darkened, and he paused to lick his lips before he spoke. “Jor is extremely cunning… a quality he has undoubtedly inherited from me. There are only three reasons why he would disappear. Either Jor has chosen to leave, someone has taken him, or he is gone.”

She really didn’t like that last one. “Gone?”

The look on Loki’s face made her heart pound. When the god of mischief looked sorry… she was pretty much screwed. “Time has most likely been altered since his presence. You have made your distaste for me clear. I admit I have been equally enthusiastic about you. It is possible Jor no longer exists.”

Darcy felt sick to her stomach. Even the thought of it made everything ache. She felt like a murderer. She couldn’t even breathe. Jane… Jane would know if Loki was telling the truth. She turned back towards Thor and Jane, but the look on her face was less than encouraging. “Jane… please tell me that’s not possible!”

Jane’s eyes were watery, and she wouldn’t look at Darcy square on. “There’s a lot of theories about time travel and it’s effects. I… don’t know. It’s a possibility, but nothing has ever been proven.”

So it was her fault then? She killed her own future son. “Oh my god….”

“That is only one of three options I provided. You must remain calm,” Loki insisted, taking a step towards her. It felt more like a threat.

“Remain calm?” She almost laughed. The god of angst was telling her to calm down, how ironic! “You tell me my kid could have disappeared from existence and you expect me to just accept that? Figures that you would choose now to be a cold-hearted jackass!”

She didn’t realize her mistake until Loki was so far in her face that she could smell his aftershave and what type of toothpaste he used… minty (whatever it was). Thor was invading her space too, but his eyes were focused on the angry god glaring at her. “Loki please!” Thor beseeched nervously.

Loki didn’t even speak, just a growl for Thor to move away. Darcy couldn’t believe it when he actually did, looking just as freaked as she felt. Loki’s eyes were back on her in seconds, and it was only then that she saw it. A lone tear down the side of his face. He was crying? “Don’t you dare pretend to be the only one affected by this, _my Lady Darcy_! Jor is the only family I currently have! If he is indeed gone… I have lost a significant connection! That child will be my son, and therefore he is my kin! I want him found, and I will do all I can to discover what has happened, but I see no point in losing focus! It solves NOTHING!”

“Loki, you have made your point,” interjected Thor, dropping a hand on his brother’s shoulder.

Darcy took the opportunity to step back, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. She and Loki were never on good terms, but this was the first time she got a real taste of his intensity. It was not pretty, but it told her more than anything else ever could. She hadn’t expected him to care about anything… not even Jor. Loki was finally showing a few of his true colors, and they weren’t the colors she’d anticipated. Following his advice from earlier, Darcy did her best to relax, and maybe clear her head. “So what do we do? How do we find him?”

“Perhaps it would be best if we read the note he left behind,” came the feminine voice of Thor and Loki’s mother, Frigga. Darcy’s eyes widened as she saw the paper hanging from her fingertips.

“Oh my god, please tell me he’s okay!” She didn’t even bother with pleasantries, but Loki was at his mother’s side even before she was.

“Does he reveal his location?” he asked.

Frigga glanced at the two, an eyebrow raised, and looking less than pleased. “You two have been very disagreeable. You’ve driven your own child away.”

“Disagreeable?” repeated Darcy with doubt.

“Mother… neither of us have mistreated the boy,” insisted Loki.

Frigga straightened, her long dress accentuating curves that would make any woman jealous. Darcy felt at her mercy, and she was tilting towards the edge just hoping someone would catch her when she fell. She just wanted to know what had happened to Jor! “You have made the mistake of expressing your aversion to each other in his company.” Was she being scolded by the Queen of Asgard? “The boy has been under extreme strain and instead of behaving like adults, you bicker as children. He is young, impressionable, and in a state of mental peril. I expected better from you both.”

Darcy was pretty sure she’d just gotten her ass handed to her by Thor and Loki’s mother. It was not pleasant. Loki seemed a little more upset than she was. His pride once again made an appearance. “Perhaps it is a trait I learned from your scheming king? He seems equally adept at pushing those in jeopardy over the edge towards insanity! As the declared son of Odin, would it not suit me to follow in his shadowy footsteps?!”

It happened so quick she didn’t register the fact that Loki’s face was bright red, and his head swung off to the side in the blink of an eye. Frigga had slapped him. If she weren’t completely freaked, she’d probably find it funny that every woman in Loki’s presence wanted to give him a good hit at some point or another. He was asking for it. Jane hadn’t been able to resist, Darcy sure as hell hadn’t resisted… why not Frigga too? Loki blinked, slowly turning back to face his mother in what looked to be a state of shock. “The next time you decide to highlight the mistakes of your father, perhaps you should look more closely at your own failures. You are not without a mind of your own, son of mine,” she reprimanded smoothly, and with all the class of royalty. Darcy was pretty sure this woman was her hero… even if she had gotten a little chiding of her own.

Loki’s teeth gritted as he looked back at her. “Our son… is he safe?” he finally asked with a little less of the attitude from before.

Frigga’s nod had them both sighing in relief. “He has done what all boys do when distressed. He has run away to a man you call Tony Stark on Midgard.”

“How? Heimdall sent him to Earth?” asked Darcy in confusion.

Loki shook his head. “His abilities surpass even my own. It is possible he found his own way to Midgard.”

“Then we go to see Stark! He will surely look after the boy until we arrive!” joined in Thor with his usual jovial spirit despite the overwhelming tension in the room. It was almost disturbing when her and Loki rolled their eyes in sync.

*~*~*

Darcy wasn’t used to apologizing to a sociopath. As a rule she figured there’d never be a need. It wasn’t like they would care if she were sorry. They lived to manipulate and use people for their own amusement, but it was obvious Loki wasn’t exactly as black and white as she’d thought. She wasn’t supposed to be curious. She certainly wasn’t supposed to regret treating him badly, but she did. Jor belonged to them, and it was obvious her future son loved Loki so much even if she didn’t understand why! It had to be more than Loki being Jor’s father. She wasn’t even sure she’d had a bond like that with her parents growing up.

She’d always liked a good mystery. She liked finding the things other people missed. Most people were so caught up with the big picture that they missed the small things. Jane’s biggest weakness was seeing everything all at once; because there was always something significant she overlooked. The woman would never admit it, but she and Selvig had become far more productive with Darcy’s keen eyes on the watch. No one ever bothered to give her the credit. She supposed that should frustrate her, but it didn’t. What she did wasn’t exactly for them. What she did was for her, and they just happened to benefit.

Loki looked worn as he sat before the charred garden where Jor had been yesterday. More flowers had grown, vibrant in color though she couldn’t identify a single one. She wondered if Loki would know. “I’m pretty sure all those flowers weren’t here yesterday,” she spoke out loud and joined him in the garden on a bench nearby. She decided it best to keep her distance. Darcy had a big mouth, and she couldn’t exactly promise not to piss Loki off again.

Loki didn’t react to her presence. He cracked a faint smile, but nothing more. “The flowers are hybrids. Jor has created several new species of plants.”

Jeez… what had she been doing at that age? She was pretty sure around seven she’d just barely managed to learn multiplication. She was proudly coloring in the lines and learning how to double dutch. Jor was so far beyond her even now, but the poor kid couldn’t utter a word out of his own mouth. Life’s way of balancing, she supposed, though it seemed pretty cruel. “Why?” she finally asked, taking in the strange pedals, oranges and purples with a dash of red and green. They were absolutely breathtaking.

Loki’s eyes cast away from Jor’s flowers and he almost looked pained. “Fire’s effects on soil can be both a blessing and a curse. Some nutrients are consumed, but others are for the first time revealed and released. It would take a special type of plant to thrive under those conditions. By bringing them together as a hybrid… he has made them powerful. It is this variety that allows them to grow as nothing else could.”

It was almost disgusting to think that a mere seven year old was wiser than his own parents. She really didn’t appreciate that. “Manipulative little sh… _darling_ , isn’t he?” she muttered, editing herself. She was pretty sure it would be pretty bad to call her own kid a ‘shit.’

Loki’s laughter was genuine, for once. When he turned to her there was amusement in his eyes. “He is indeed, Darcy Lewis. His point is valid. Jor’s control over magic is beyond me. He sees what I never could. Midgardians have no magic, and yet with your blood in his veins he is… exceptional.”

Was that supposed to be a compliment? Did Loki just give her props? “Flattery will get you nowhere, oh god of mischief, but it’s certainly a start.”

His default expression, a mixture of smug aggravation, had yet to return. She wondered if they were actually going to do this… behave like civilized adults. “I do believe I chose you, Darcy.”

Her eyes narrowed, or perhaps not. “Chose me?”

He turned more fully to face her. “Jor insists there were feelings involved, however I am not quite ready to accept his word. I am, however, willing to admit I might have discovered our possibilities together were we to copulate.”

Darcy groaned. “Please tell me you aren’t implying what I think you’re implying? Jeez, you’re like a borderline Nazi! What is it with you?!”

That hit a nerve. Loki stiffened. “I am Jotun, raised with beings who have always believed themselves superior to the Frost Giants in every way. As a child I was treated as weak, by mindless brutes. My natural gifts with magic were not especially notable to those inclined towards glorious battle and warrior strength. And you blame me for searching out a woman capable of giving me superior offspring?”

She felt for him… sort of. The people of Asgard were intimidating at the best of times, especially Thor’s parents. She could only imagine what it must have been like, being the oddball in a royal family. That didn’t mean she existed for Loki’s breeding pleasure either. “I get it… really I do, but I happen to be more than just some ‘mindless brute,’ Loki. I’m not yours to manipulate, and I never will be. Even if one day I do decide to thrust aside all moral sense and tie myself to you for an eternity, there is no way I’d be doing it to be your own personal baby-making machine.”

Loki was smiling again, though it did nothing to ease the tension between them. If anything, it just made Darcy that much more uncomfortable. “My own personal baby making machine? I would certainly enjoy such a device,” he remarked with amusement. “Do they have those on Midgard?”

Darcy shrugged. “Probably, but I can’t guarantee they won’t be mindless brutes.”

“Pity.” Loki turned back towards Jor’s hybrid garden. “We shall be leaving shortly to retrieve Jor. When we have returned I would ask that you accompany me for a private dinner.”

That threw Darcy off like nothing else. She had no idea how to reply. “I thought we were still in agreement with the whole hating each other thing….” She’d liked that plan. It was a good plan.

“We were until my mother decided it prudent to admonish me in public; although I admit, you surprise me. You’re world may be governed by fools, but there are a few of you worthy of the pitiable air you breathe. I see that now. Have you not thought of simply ridding yourself of such an obvious infestation? Your realm would do well to extinguish those thoughtlessly leading you to ruin.”

Tara used to say something similar after history classes, though Darcy was pretty sure she’d been kidding… mostly. “Don’t think we haven’t thought about it, but sadly that whole morality issue keeps getting in the way.”

Loki nodded seriously, eyebrows knitted together in thought. “An honorable weakness Frigga also shares or I would have been executed long ago. I can’t say I understand it, though you have my sympathy. If ever ruin be on the brink, feel free to request my assistance in the matter. I am not held back by such things as a conscience.”

“That may be the nicest and single most disturbing thing anyone has ever said to me,” remarked Darcy in wonder. Crap… she could almost picture them together now; Loki going off ready to topple civilizations, while she rushed off to distract him with sex and a baby. Saving the world one orgasm at a time? She supposed there were worse sacrifices to be made, but she was finding it hard to think of any that wouldn’t make her dead inside.

Loki’s smile was almost charming, and it made Darcy feel itchy. “Then I will see you in my chambers this evening. I promise to be… as respectful as my temperament will allow,” he teased. Darcy frowned. She was in desperate need of a shower before joining the group to get Jor. She was associating herself with the incredibly sinful, and Darcy was starting to feel just a tiny bit unclean.

To Be Continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea when I'll have time for another update. I do wanna try and update the other story too, so I gotta focus on making that happen. I can promise it will be done no later than Wednesday! In the meantime feel free to bug and encourage me. It helps the creative juices flow... there have been studies and everything!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After the excitement of the last chapter (and by that I mean Loki/Darcy progress) I thought it'd be nice to get you guys just a little bit angry, and give you a good hint as to why Thor's future is so screwed. Enjoy! Don't hold back, I don't mind being cursed out. Hehehehe!

“We will discuss this when you’ve returned the son of Loki to Asgard.” His tone was dismissive, but Thor’s heart was far too stubborn to be sent away so easily. He intended to marry Jane Foster whether his father approved or not. The kingship lied heavily on his shoulders each time Odinsleep neared. Soon it would be him sitting permanently on the throne, and he refused to do it without his dearest love by his side. Odin could not understand the attachment, but it was Jane that had taught Thor to be better, to see his faults and his shortcomings. If he had met Jane sooner it was possible his brother would not have betrayed him, surly that was something worth fighting for!

There was something strong in Thor that urged him to continue when sense would tell him he’d overstayed his welcome. Loki continued to treat him as a neanderthal of Midgard, his friends bickered playful among themselves as if the seriousness of their situation was beyond comprehension, and his father continued to pretend that his wisdom was eternal… and without error. Thor respected Odin. He wanted to please his father in all things, but this one. How could his father be so blind to Thor’s joy? How could he continue to refuse the only thing that had come to matter to the god of thunder? “You refuse to even meet with her! It was you who sent me to Midgard. You made me humble, and you gave me great insight… yet you refuse to see her value now, why?”

Odin kept his eye still on the sunlight as it shined over ocean waves. He would not even meet his own son’s gaze. He would not be reasoned with. “Your Jane is indeed an impressive woman, but she is not strong enough to be queen of this realm. She is Mid-”

“Where she’s from, matters not! She is brave and wise! What more could a king wish for in a consort?!” Thor insisted. “You don’t even give her a chance!”

“Enough!” Thor’s jaw snapped close as Odin turned finally to face his eldest son. Did his word mean nothing at all?! Thor was boiling in his frustrations, desperate for Odin to see the possibilities. “Shall I have two sons to bring shame upon our people?! Shall you betray me as Loki has?! Do you wish to follow him in mischief against Asgard?! My choice is sound, and without prejudice! My only priority is Asgard, and there is far more at stake than the love of a beautiful woman!”

Odin’s words cut like a knife with a poisoned tip. The venom flooded Thor’s veins and burned him from the inside out. “If you will not even allow her tested, than you will have lost more than an heir, my king! I have no need for a kingdom if you refuse the very person that could truly make me great… great for Asgard… great like my father before me! She does not weaken my resolve! She only makes me stronger! Why can you not see that?! Or is it that you do not want to see?!”

“Was it not several days ago that you praised my insight, and now you dare thrust it aside because it is not what you want to hear?!”

“You are a stubborn fool!” Thor growled.

“And you are just as treacherous as Loki!”

Odin’s accusation echoed in the hall, feeding Thor’s rage like gasoline to a flame. He kept his head held high as he faced his father. “Perhaps so… if my own father cannot bless me with this one single happiness,” he spoke, voice soft and free of emotion. He turned away before Odin could speak. Their conversation had reached it’s inevitable conclusion once again. Odin had agreed to have Jane tested if Thor dare put her through it, but it seemed not even those words carried truth. There were two silver tongues in Asgard as far as he was concerned. His father had no intention of allowing Jane to remain at Thor’s side… he knew that now.

So focused was he on his destination, that he was caught unaware when his brother stepped from the shadows with lips curled in a cruel grin. “Trouble in the house of Odin? How… surprising.”

Thor was not up for games from the mischief-maker, but Loki’s presence gave way to an idea fueled by desperation. “Loki… just the man I wanted to see,” he said.

Loki quirked an eyebrow, curious. “Not an ounce of sarcasm… one would think you lack all sense.”

Perhaps he had lost all sense. What he was considering was dangerous, dishonorable, and… against every rule he’d sworn to uphold. Perhaps Odin was right to believe Thor capable of treachery. He was putting his own happiness ahead of the greater good, but Jane was _his_ greater good. He was certain she would only make him a stronger leader for his people. “Tell me, Loki… do you remember the night you found a passage into Idun’s garden?”

Loki’s eyes widened with understanding. “Idun has been gone a very long time. Golden apples are a rarity in days such as these as you well know since it is for this reason Odin allows himself to age.”

“The trees left behind remain, though certainly few and rare since she felt Asgard. All I would require is one… one of Idun’s apples,” urged Thor in a whisper, pulling Loki as far from Odin’s door as he could.

Loki struggled from Thor’s grip and snickered. “You wish to make your precious Jane immortal.”

“You are the only one I know of that has seen the apples save Idun herself and I sincerely doubt our father would approve. Was it not you that brought the very gods to a panic when you hid them away from their eyes for several days?! All I ask is that you bring one I can provide Jane with. Odin will be forced to accept her as my wife once she is like us.”

“And why would I care to help you, _dear brother_?”

Thor’s frustration was getting the better of him. “Was there _ever_ a time that you loved me as family?!”

“Dramatic as always, Thor.” The eyeroll pierced deep as Loki idly picked dirty from under his nails. “We are not brothers.”

“So you say, but I refuse to believe the hatred you carry is eternal!”

Loki looked almost disgusted. “My own son refuses to be in your presence. I may not agree with all fate has in store, but it seems we are in agreement in this one single thing. Our relationship is unchanged. I will never be caught in your shadow again, son of Odin!”

“And what of your Darcy? Are you content to watch her age and wither?” argued Thor. He grew tired of the universe conspiring against him. He would convince Loki to help him any way he could… even if it meant using tactics below the belt. It was what Loki would do, was it not?

“You think I care?”

“I know you do. You like her, brother. You have fooled me for many years, but never when it comes to matters of the heart. If Jor is to be your son, then Darcy is to be your beloved, and you know you would not stand to see her remain fragile.”

“Then you would have me steal two apples… one for Jane and one for Darcy, yes?” Loki’s smile was positively wicked. “Midgardian’s have a saying… one I rather respect. What’s in it for me?”

Thor’s head ached as he sought desperately for something he could bribe Loki with… something that would capture his interest. He swallowed hard, and shook his head. “I am at your mercy just this once, brother. If you do this for me… I will repay as you see fit.” He was selling his soul to the devil himself, and Thor knew it to be true.

Loki barely hesitated. “Deal. I will break into the gates and take the apples once guarded by Idun, and you will be in my debt. I have your word on this?”

Thor nodded, darkness looming in his heart as he sealed his fate. “You have it.”

*~*~*

Thor, the Lady Jane, Loki, and Darcy Lewis lined up around the sword of Heimdall, gatekeeper of Asgard. They’d been discussing where to look first and who to contact after they arrived to the realm of Midgard. Their goal was simple. They would bring Jor back from Midgard before he was to cause more trouble for the mortals. It was in their best interest that they find a way to send Jor back to his own time. The effects of his presence were a danger indeed, and Odin would see to it personally that the damage was limited. He did not trust the boy, though Frigga was certainly already attached. Odin had enough on his plate without this boy causing more harm.

In a flash the connection was made, four bodies gone, just leaving the one and Heimdall drew his sword like a key to the universe and met Odin’s far away gaze. He had not come to see the others off on their journey. It was Heimdall that was his aim. The sons of Odin were conspiring against him, of this he was well aware, and he would not stand for it.

Heimdall bowed in respect. “My king.”

Odin walked the rest of the bridge and entered the domain of the BiFrost. His eye roved about, taking in the new details of this BiFrost in comparison to the last one. Artistic designs giving homage to their history decorated the golden walls just as before. “You know why I have come.” There was no use in pleasantries when the throne was at stake.

Heimdall gave a single nod and tucked away his sword. “You wish to discover the plans of Loki and Thor. I regret to inform you… they have indeed joined forces with a common goal, but their treaty is paper thin. It will not last long, if it is even carried out at all.”

“Were you privy to their aim?”

“For once Loki has yet to shield his activities from me… until this afternoon.”

Odin shook his head. “It is no matter, you are not the only one with a working eye. I may be at a disadvantage, but it works perfectly fine. Thor means to steal the apples of Idun to give to the Lady Jane. Loki will take one to Darcy Lewis as well.”

Heimdall’s face turned to surprise in seconds. “Thor would not dare.”

If only that were true. “He would dare, Heimdall… love is a desperate thing. His heart has always been several sizes larger than is good for him. I am not long for this realm, but it seems I am without a trustworthy successor.” He was disappointed in his son, in them both, in all the mistakes he’d made with the two boys who’d once given him such hope.

“What will you do?”

That was the question, wasn’t it? He could discuss this with Frigga, but she would never approve of his actions. “We will cut away this disease before it spreads. Jane must not be made immortal. Loki knows the way to Idun’s garden, but by the time he returns the apples will be replaced. I will see to it.”

Heimdall’s eyes roved over the king, seeing what all that others would not dare be privy to. “And what will be left behind?”

Odin’s resolve would not waver. “Punishment and pain for the heart of my first born, no doubt. The Lady Jane will take a bite, and it will be the last thing she remembers of Thor or their love. I will erase all that they have shared, and send her back where she belongs.”

“And Darcy?” Heimdall questioned.

Odin had yet to decide what to do with her. Loki had no rights to the throne after his betrayal and Darcy was no threat to Asgard. Had not fate already decided for them all? “I am not willing to grant her immortality, but it would only make matters worse if I were to punish Loki in such a way. Loki is a cruel and angry child, and he always has been, but I believe her to be worthy of him. Her apple will be ordinary. I would like you to carry out my will, Heimdall. You have kept watch over the apples since Idun’s disappearance.”

Heimdall bowed low. “It will be done, my King.”

Odin nodded in return and looked off towards his kingdom. “Thor will never forgive this, but what I do is for Asgard. His priorities are clouded. Jane Foster must not be made his queen.”

“Thor’s heart is pure, but Loki’s influence is a hazard that must be prevented. There will be consequences. It is possible this lesson will not be learned well.”

Odin was well aware of this fact. “He will learn it, or I will find myself a new successor.”

“What does Frigga have to say about all this?” The words cut to the heart of the matter, and the King cursed Heimdall’s all-seeing eye.

“Nothing, as she is not aware of my plans… nor will she. My actions are mine alone, and you will follow.”

“I will obey, as I have sworn,” Heimdall insisted, dark skin shining against the golden glow of the BiFrost.

Odin’s smile was without strength or sincerity. “I know.”

To Be Continued


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not much going on to further the plot, but it's definitely a chapter worth reading especially when things are about to get... well, less funny. lol As always, my fuel is comments... they keep me going and inspire more chapters. ;-)

Pepper was becoming a bit of a pain in Tony’s ass over Jor. She was bonding with him, getting attached, and he was pretty sure if he had Jor escorted out of his house in handcuffs… he’d never have sex again in his lifetime. In an effort to keep sane when a psychopath’s son was currently playing board games in his living room, Tony retired to his makeshift workstation to do something productive. He’d intended to make some toys for his newest Iron Man suit and perhaps something special Iron Patriot could enjoy. Instead he found himself working on a voice synthesizer and a scanner capable of facial expression reading as well as manual use. It just didn’t make sense that a kid who was supposed to be dangerous couldn’t even seem capable of communicating without a pen and paper. It took him an hour to finish, a minute to admire his work, and five minutes to show Jor how to use.

Uploading the software would take a while, but Jor seemed more than willing to wait. He was practically bursting with childish enthusiasm. And Tony wondered just how frustrating it must be for the kid to go so long without uttering words. His eyes were on the laptop waiting for Jarvis to check systems. A sliver of metal covered one eyebrow, and he’d given the kid a small datapad until Jor could learn how to use the expression reading software. It was normally used for people who were paralyzed, which Jor was not, but it was still more efficient than a miniature datapad. Jor was already studying the manual with gusto.

“Tony… look at him… I think you’ve made his year,” Pepper told him with that look in her eye, the one she reserved for when she was proud of him. “What made you think about doing this?”

Stark shifted in his stool, refusing to pay attention to Jor when he had work to complete. Or perhaps he just really didn’t want to think about the fact that he was making the son of a certified murderer happy. Loki threw him off a building! He had reason to be peeved. “I’m tired of that damn journal. When Shield picks him up it’ll be easier for them to interrogate the kid,” Tony grumbled, refusing to accept that he might have felt a little bad for the boy.

Pepper narrowed her eyes, staring at Tony for a long time before she spoke. “I think you did it for another reason. You see it too. Be stubborn if you want, but you forget… I know all about that heart of yours, and it’s most definitely showing.”

Tony rolled his eyes as the downloading software was complete, and glanced back at Jor. “Give it a whirl kid.”

Jor looked up, smiled and blinked several times. Tony wasn’t expecting that, figured he’d be using the datapad for at least a month until he was used to the facial recognition reader. **“Uncle Tony saves the day. I will repay this kindness.”**

“It worked!” exclaimed Pepper in amazement. “You studied the manual that fast?”

Jor glanced over at Pepper with a nod and several blinks. **“I am a quick study.”**

Tony turned in his chair to look at Jor for the first time. The stress lines seemed to leave from his face as if all that silence was taking a physical toll on the boy. He genuinely looked like a regular kid given the best gift in his life on Christmas day. Tony wondered if he’d ever had a moment like that when he was Jor’s age. He couldn’t really recall, but it was so much easier to see the bad stuff when it came to his family life. He watched Jor close his eyes, and in seconds his hand was aglow. Pepper gasped beside him as a rose appeared from thin air. Jor immediately handed it to her.

“How… how did you do that?”

Jor shrugged. **“I am Lokison. I have many gifts that are at your disposal.”**

Pepper looked almost teary-eyed as she held her rose in wonder. Stark frowned. “Thanks kid, I’ll be sure to let you know if we ever get into trouble; nothing more useful than a thorny flower to keep your renegade father in line….”

Pepper flashed him a glare. “I should put this in water.”

**“No need… the rose is self-sustaining. I have given it all the water it will ever need.”**

Tony quirked an eyebrow. “All that you can do, but it never occurred to you to use your abilities to talk?”

“Tony!” Pepper scolded.

Jor’s smile lessened a bit. **“I am perfectly capable of speech. I don’t really know why I can’t communicate normally. I have been struggling since watching my mother burned, and my father slain by Thor.**

Well shit, now he felt like a jackass, but that didn’t make any sense. Loki was dead? Darcy Lewis? Jor hadn’t really taken the time to completely explain how he came about, though he did mention the future. Time travel was a tricky thing he wasn’t quite ready to digest without a bit more proof. Either way, Tony knew he’d screwed up by the shame and frustration written all over Jor’s face. Here was a kid with so much to offer and controlling so much power… but he couldn’t even help himself. Stark knew all about that.

“Oh uh… well, you know… it’s fine… sometimes the mind isn’t so easily fixed,” he admitted, feeling like a slug after having the gull to point out Jor’s issues when he was no better. Just getting a good night’s sleep was a triumph these days. “My parents are dead too… you’ll do fine. Can’t imagine Loki being that great of a parent…” he rambled on. Jor raised an eyebrow at the awkward addition, while Pepper elbowed him in the side. “Not that it isn’t tragic… I’m just saying… probably a good thi-” his words were cut off as he got another hit to his ribs and he finally shut his mouth.

Jor looked amused rather than offended, and turned back to the manual, which he seemed incapable of putting down. Pepper was looking at Tony again, but this time her face wasn’t so easy to read. He turned to meet her gaze, and felt her hand rest against his cheek with a sigh. At least she wasn’t elbowing him anymore.

“Are you actually questioning my parenting skills?”

Tony’s eyes widened as he shoved Pepper behind him in a ridiculous attempt to keep her safe from the god of mischief. Loki was sitting on Tony’s couch with one of his cookies in hand… the damned god had the nerve to steal Tony’s cookies and sit on his couch. “Jor said you were dead!” he sent the boy a glare for the lie, and pushed Pepper back further, keeping his distance and hoping Jarvis was paying attention. He needed a suit!

“I am dead, in the future. Apparently, both of Jor’s parents were killed moments before he arrived in the present.” Loki let out a sigh, ignoring Tony as he moved over to the boy and took his manual. “And what is this?”

Jor jumped up to his feet with a wide grin. **“Stark has blessed me with speech once more. He is truly as brilliant as you have always believed!”**

Loki seemed less than impressed. “Brilliant? The man of iron?”

“Brilliant enough to defeat you,” added Tony with a touch of snark.

“Could we not anger the supervillians, please?!” urged Pepper from behind him.

The kid, who’d finally realized Pepper was terrified, and Stark was on guard, walked over to them cautiously, blinking. **“My father will not harm you. You are friends. Loki will greatly rely on you both during my time… to help keep us hidden from those who would do him harm… or would wish harm to his family.”**

“I find that really hard to believe, kid!” Stark told him in annoyance.

Loki looked down at the child, eyebrows raised in surprise. “You left Asgard to be sheltered here for this reason?”

Jor nodded. **“You were being unreasonable!”**

“Unreasonable?! You force our hand! You insist Darcy Lewis has a place in a future neither of us is content with! You worried your mother and myself needlessly!” Loki scolded, and Tony was starting to wonder if maybe it was Jor he should be protecting. Seeing the god of mischief in the fatherly role was giving him goosebumps… not the good kind. That temper was a serious problem.

The kid wasn’t backing down though. He kept his head held high, and not just because his father was practically seven feet tall. **“You contradict yourself, father! You worry for me, and yet you resist the very thing that ensures my existence! I was simply giving you a taste of what future awaits you when you resist fate’s urgings!”**

Loki huffed in defeat. “You impossible child!”

“Hey! Ease off! He’s got a point!” came a woman’s voice.

Tony’s head shot to the door as Darcy Lewis (assistant to Thor’s girlfriend), Jane Foster (the girlfriend), and Thor (the beefcake with a girlfriend) waltzed inside as if they owned the place. “Does anybody in this place bother knocking before breaking into my house?!” he exclaimed angrily. “Jarvis, what is the point of you?!”

**“Sir, you seem to have visitors.”**

Tony was going to kill that damned AI before the day was done. He knew Jarvis was dealing with a few malfunctions, but this was just ridiculous. “I see that!”

Thor’s smile was wide as he grasped Tony’s shoulders tightly. “My friend! It is good to see you well! And this must be the Lady Pepper we have heard so much about!” Thor bowed to Pepper and smiled wider… if that was even possible.

Jane was walking awkwardly over to them with a faint smile. “Sorry for the intrusion… family drama of the godly variety can always be a bit messy… it seems.”

At least someone was bothering to apologize! Darcy however, was currently staring Loki down, and the heat could have melted a normal man’s face in seconds. As it was, Loki looked a lot less angry all of the sudden. “Then you would rather us not punish him for his actions?”

“Who are you, Odin?! How about we solve this the mortal way… you know, by actually reasoning with him!”

Jor peeked out from behind Darcy with a look of relief, despite the determination he’d been sporting earlier. Perhaps it was all an act… maybe the kid had no idea what he was doing. Either way, Jor was certainly brave for facing the likes of Loki without a safety net… or a gun. **“I would most prefer the mortal way,”** the boy added with several blinks.

Darcy turned her heated gaze towards Jor, and immediately the boy’s eyes filled with shameful tears. “You scared the shit out of me! Why did you just run off like that?!” Darcy pulled Jor in the tightest hug, till the poor kid’s eyes almost popped clear off. Tony couldn’t recall his family life ever being quite as entertaining. They mostly just stayed out of each other’s way. It was a lot more peaceful, though he certainly wouldn’t recommend it to any families dealing with pain in the ass kids.

**“I am sorry, mother. I did not mean to strike fear in your heart.”**

Pepper’s grip on Tony was steadily cutting off circulation. Tony cleared his throat, and everyone’s eyes drifted towards him. “You guys hungry? I know a great place down the street… good food… good prices… is currently NOT in my living room.”

Loki let out a rare chuckle. “I believe the man of iron is kicking us out.”

“What? No, no, no… he’s just… trying to keep any gods from tearing the house down. It took weeks for us to repair Stark Towers,” Pepper, ever the diplomat, tried to clear up.

Tony settled Loki with a pointed glare. “She’s lying, I’m kicking you out.”

Thor’s face fell. “Have we intruded?”

“Yes, very much so!” said Tony before Pepper could attempt more of her diplomat skills. These people were gods. They didn’t know anything about subtly.

“Doesn’t matter, we were leaving anyway. Thanks for watching the squirt,” said Darcy, yanking on Jor’s hand like a true parent. She behaved as if they’d been babysitting… or had a choice.

“You owe me cookies… Jor and Loki ate them all.”

Darcy glanced back at Loki, seeing the cookie in Loki’s hand, and immediately snatched it away. “You invite me to dinner, but spoil it with cookies? Jeez, I thought you were a prince?! Who _raised_ you to behave this way.”

Loki ignored the fact that her question was rhetorical. “Odin.”

Jor’s face lit up. **“You are to dine together?”**

Darcy was heading towards the exit with Jor in tow when he spoke, and immediately paused to turn back to Tony. “Wait a second… has Jor been talking this whole time?”

Ah finally, at least someone seemed to notice… other than the ungrateful bastard who’d tried to destroy New York. Tony’s smirk was undoubtedly smug. “I built him a thing….”

 **“It uses a scanner to read my responses using eyelid movement. It is quite remarkable, mother!”** Jor explained.

“Did you say thank you?”

Jor nodded, proudly.

Darcy held Tony’s gaze. “Nifty.”

Tony’s shrug was purposefully nonchalant. “It’s, sort of, what I do.”

She smiled back, and Tony had a feeling he’d be seeing her again. It was really too bad she was literally a mischief maker (as in _maker of Loki’s babies of mischief_ ). So much potential wasted, Tony was sure. It struck him that he liked her. He liked her for taking Loki’s cookie, and cutting the so-called god down a few pegs. He liked her for that smile she flashed with a slight gap in her teeth, and the brightest eyes. He liked her for calling his invention _nifty_. “I’m pretty broke at the moment. Any chance I could just borrow it for a while and give it back when Jor get’s his voice back?”

“Keep it,” he insisted. “Consider it my thanks for helping me kick the immortals out.”

Darcy nodded, and glanced back at her entourage. “Alright team… let’s move out. You guys have ruined enough of Tony Stark’s day!”

They swept out of his place like the sudden end of a really bad hurricane. Everything went silent as the door slammed shut. A calm settled in the air. Tony let out a sigh, surveyed the area, and then turned to Pepper. “Now do you see why I wanted to call Fury?!”

To Be Continued


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm posting early because I'm working all night, so enjoy!

Jor’s cold expression as his eyes remained on Thor left Jane feeling jittery. Thor seemed equally helpless to relieve the tension between the three while Loki and Darcy argued quietly outside the small establishment where they’d stopped for food (Tony’s idea), though it looked more like a family friendly dive bar… if such a thing were to exist. The boy wouldn’t even touch his burger and fries. His eyes remained on Thor as if ready for attack, still and steady. Thor had already finished his own meal, and his eyes darted between Jor and his food. “Have I offended thee?” the god of thunder finally broke the silence.

Jane could tell the conversation would only lead to disaster by the look on Jor’s face. **“My father makes excuses for your cruelty. I wonder if he would continue to do so after you so sweetly broke his neck?”**

Foster winced, seeing the frustration in Thor’s eyes. He was being punished for something he hadn’t even done yet, was unwilling to believe he _could_ do. She wasn’t sure she could believe it either considering how much Thor loved Loki despite their complicated relationship. Mathematical problems were her expertise. Matters of the heart were more Darcy’s thing… only she was busy dealing with problems of her own, and she hadn’t looked like she was fairing any better before dragging Loki out of sight. Thor looked over at Jane, silently begging for her help. “The future isn’t now. You can’t judge him for something he hasn’t done yet, Jor.”

Jor’s gaze turned to her. He pointedly ignored her words and Thor. The change in subject did little to relieve the awkwardness. **“I have made matters worse.”** The mechanical voice was without emotion, but Jor’s face said it all. He was upset, stressed, and desperately trying to fix something falling apart in his hands. That was a lot of burden to carry at such a young age.

“You don’t know that. Darcy is… a passionate person.”

**“As is my father.”**

Jane flashed him what she hoped was an encouraging smile. “Eat… we still have to get you back in one piece. Wouldn’t want you starving to death on the way home.”

Jor stared at his plate for a moment before choosing the fried potato slices they claimed to be ‘world famous fries.’ It looked covered in oil, falling limp to the side. With a sigh he threw it back down on the plate in disgust. **“Starvation would be my preference to this poison they insist is food.”**

She couldn’t really blame him, though Thor seemed more than happy to grab at the fries and drop them on his plate. “Than I shall be the dutiful Uncle and remove them from your sight,” he insisted eagerly. Jane couldn’t help laughing as he shoved fries into his mouth. Even Jor was unable to hold onto his deep and chilling frown. The tension eased… at least on her side.

*~*~*

“Are we planning to dine, or do you wish to continue uselessly flapping away at your gums?” growled Loki angrily.

“This is NOT how you seduce someone into marrying you!” Darcy snapped back. “We have to work this out… right here and right now! Jor has been through enough without us making it ten times worse! He watched his parents be slaughtered, and now he’s got the prospect of erasing himself from existence to look forward to! It’s no wonder he can’t say anything!”

Loki stepped into her personal space as if it belonged to him, as if entitled to do so, his only means of intimidating her. It wouldn’t be working this time or any other time. She was on to his games, and she refused to play them by the rules… not that he ever would either. “He is the son of a god-”

“He’s a child!”

“My child-”

“ _Our_ child, or did you forget?! He’s damaged goods, Loki… just like you! I would think you’d be more sensitive to that!”

Loki’s eyes widened. “Sensitive to damage?!” His laugh was without amusement. “You think me damaged, Lady Darcy? I am far from damaged! Oh trust me… Odin tried his best, made good work of breaking me down, but I arose from the ash with renewed purpose!”

“That purpose almost destroyed my planet!”

“My aim was to rule, not extinguish!”

“Tell that to New York!” This was getting them nowhere. They both took a step back to catch their breaths, equally frustrated and equally without patience. Darcy had no idea how to get in Loki’s mind. She didn’t understand him, wasn’t sure she ever would. Why did he have to be so stubborn! “I just don’t get you! I mean you hate Odin! You _hate_ Odin for all the crap he pulled, but you’re just like him!”

“I never lied to Jor!” Loki almost screamed. Once again, she’d hit a nerve… she was good at that, so it seemed.

“No, but you treat him like he’s too strong to be hurt! You treat him like he’s capable of handling everything he’s been through, and our shit to top it off! I refuse to be that selfish! I refuse to let our pride hurt him the way Odin’s hurt you! You don’t even fucking see it, do you?! He’s just a child! You can’t expect him to be anything else! You can’t expect him to be a god!”

She’d said her peace, and the silence that followed made her twitch. Loki was staring at her, his expression unreadable. The tension was profuse, overwhelmingly so, but Darcy couldn’t help feeling like something big was happening. When Loki spoke, his voice was low. “Born to be a king… that’s what Odin said to me all those years ago. I was born to be king.”

“And look where it got you,” she replied.

“Would you have our son grow without goals to attain?” he questioned. He wasn’t antagonizing her. He was honestly curious. It was so hard to keep up with him. He was like the worst kind of bi-polar, and her head was spinning.

“Why can’t he just make his own goals?” She didn’t see why they had to expect anything from Jor. All she cared about was seeing him happy. “You talk about being cast in shadows. The thing is you never had to be in their shadows to begin with. Let Jor shine however he sees fit. For god’s sake, Loki… you weren’t born to be king! You were born to be _you_!”

Loki’s mouth dropped for the briefest of seconds, as if the idea never even occurred to him. When he stepped into her personal space she wasn’t sure what to expect. She wasn’t even sure who they were talking about anymore, or what it was they’d been arguing over. All she did know was his hand reached for her neck and she was pulled into the most haunting kiss she’d ever experienced. In the back of her mind she was relieved they’d moved to the back of the restaurant away from prying eyes… including Jor’s prying eye. She was also thankful to the wall Loki shoved her against, leaving her desperately clinging to the rough brick as he plundered her mouth with all the strength and desperation inside of him.

It was wet, but not sloppy. He dominated, but left her room to breathe. She didn’t understand what had taken over him, but she knew it had to stop. She couldn’t think, her stomach twisting in knots as her heart was pulled in several different directions at once. His kiss cut her deep, but it also left her exposed. His touch left her shaking like a victim after violent crime. Loki was the worst thing to happen to her, but she couldn’t seem to pull away, refused to pull away. Silently she wondered if Tara would hate her, judge her… if all of New York and the world would judge her for kissing him back, for giving him everything she received. Loki was breaking her heart with affection and a single tear dripped down her face like a wake-up call. She dipped her head to break the kiss.

“I can’t… I can’t even comprehend why you would do that,” she whispered breathless.

Loki was moving away, and there was panic in his eyes. “You are… dangerous, Darcy Lewis.”

She had to laugh. “Me?! The mere mortal?!”

He shook his head furiously, eyes pinned to the ground. “The siren… you saw all the things I want to hear, but your words are poison. Your kiss is as hazardous as the weapon you keep hidden in your purse. You peel away my restraint and then dare to demand I hold myself back! You are a demon! You are a succubus!”

Darcy’s eyes narrowed. “You think I want this? I’m betraying my own kind just by standing here!” Hands ran through her thick curls and she felt like tearing them from her scalp in frustration. “I feel like I’m willfully feeding myself to the wolves, and you call me a _succubus_!”

Loki was heaving, a bead of sweat dripped down the side of his face, like he was fighting fate with every second that ticked by. He was pale, and so thin… nothing like the bronze and buff god currently inside with Jane and Jor. Loki looked utterly ill, and she knew it was her fault. She felt the same. Outside forces applying so much pressure, demanding what she wanted desperately to run away from. They were doing it to themselves. The stress of their choices was eating away at them both. Resist and Jor would disappear from their future, but giving in was equally disastrous. Finally he met her gaze. “I will not give in to this. I will not allow fate to beat me so easily.”

“What’s the alternative? Losing Jor?” She couldn’t see a way out, didn’t want out… and that was what hurt most of all. She was betraying everything she ever believed in and she didn’t care enough to stop it. “Jor made his point, didn’t he? He showed us exactly what we stand to lose.”

“And if he were gone? What would we possibly stand to gain?” he questioned.

Darcy shook her head. “I don’t want to find out… do you?”

The question hung between them. They were at a crossroad, and they knew it. Jor had never revealed how they came together. Maybe he was part of it all along. Maybe they were just caught in a loop they were helpless to prevent; like a never-ending cycle of life leading to death… leading to life once again. He was staring at her as if he could see it all, the wheel of their lives, turning fast and slow at the same time. “I do not.”

She was crying, couldn’t stop crying, and it was fogging her glasses so she set them aside. They pressed into her hip as they fit snug in her pocket. “What do we do, then?”

Loki swallowed hard, his adam’s apple sliding up and down, and distracting her from the way he licked his lips. “We create the very thing that will destroy us.”

Darcy knew, understood the grizzly fate that awaited her. Jor promised a passion she couldn’t even begin to comprehend, but her mind drifted to the hybrid flowers thriving in Frigga’s garden. Their son was worth it. He was worth the sacrifice. He was worth the good times and the bad. He was worth the guilt. All of it. It was the one thing they could agree on. She wasn’t even sure she knew who made the first move. They were standing in the back of a rundown restaurant only a few miles from Stark’s new home away from home. They were on a planet Loki had tried desperately to subjugate. It didn’t stop their second kiss which turned out to be just as electric as the first. It didn’t stop Loki from taking everything from her, tearing her to pieces and crushing her under the weight of their choice.

It wasn’t love, not yet, not this soon. The kiss they shared was a promise and an oath. Fate shattered them like glass, and demanded they yield to true power. It would not be denied, and their willpower was as strong as the thinnest thread. Darcy was pushing and pulling, away and closer. She was kissing him back, and retreating in desperation. She wasn’t ready to give in, but she already had. They both had. The tiniest hint of relief surprised her most of all. It was a heavy choice, but deep down… she knew it was the right one.

*~*~*

With each step he felt his age, like weights were constantly being thrust out upon him. He grew tired, weak… so close to the end. In his desperation to ensure his son rise high for Asgard, becoming every bit of the god Odin needed him to be, sacrifices would be necessary. His choices were limited. His time among the living was drawing to a close. It would not be long, and the great king refused to leave the world without one last lesson for his first born to learn. Everything Odin did was for a purpose. _Everything._

The golden apples hung like stars in the sky, shining bright and warm against his face. One bite would restore him, but at what cost? His time was drawing to an end. Heimdall would ensure his wish be carried out. The son of Odin would learn this last lesson at great cost, but he could only hope it would ensure Asgard shine… shine just as brightly as the apples of Idun’s garden.

The pain across his chest grew intense, and his fingers caressed the metal of his breastplate in a pathetic attempt to alleviate the discomfort. There was no room for doubt. There was no time to second guess. His final act as king was pulling him apart mentally and physically he. He would not stand to see how hard this lesson would be learned. Heimdall replaced each apple, covered over the rest, keeping them from view. Those replaced shined just as bright… if not brighter. Asgard’s star gleamed against the surface of gold. The beauty was breathtaking, though that was not currently the reason Odin struggled. His decision was made, though he knew not the outcome. Perhaps he never would.

“My king… you are unwell,” Heimdall spoke out, alarmed.

Odin could go no further, letting his knees buckle and grasping a tree for support while his faithful servant rushed to his side. “Fulfill your duties… time is short. Tell no one what has been done,” he urged between grunts of agony. This did not feel like Odinsleep awaiting him. This felt much worse.

“Odin?!” Heimdall shouted as he eased his king to the grass.

Odin could only wish he’d seen his dear family whole one last time before passing. An old and stubborn man, he had become, but his hope remained with the boys fixing to betray him. Perhaps the pain was too much. He could take no more disappointment. When had it come to this? When had life twisted his world so ruthlessly? In his mind’s eye Loki, still but a babe, lie helplessly in Odin’s arms. His destiny was unwritten then. He saw Thor… his gentle cries in the night while his mother would soothe with sweet songs from long ago. The boys grew together, so entirely different, and wretchedly lost. His fault, no doubt, but theirs too. “Fulfill… your… duties,” he repeated. “Tell my family… I love th….” Words left him along with breath. His final moments filled with doubt and fear, loneliness and distress… so many regrets. An unhappy death, unworthy of a king. It seemed fitting somehow.

Heimdall would urge Eir to revive Odin, but such a thing was impossible. The king of Asgard was dead.

To Be Continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sure you’re all really happy to see Odin dead, but you should probably consider the fact that he’s taking a pretty big secret about the apples to his grave. Feel free to mull that over; as it’s going to be the last ‘spoiler’ I give you once it all comes crashing down. :) And yeah, I should have warned for a character death, but it's kinda complicated because no one ever really dies when they're a god, and certainly not in fan fiction! I didn't put it in the warning because it's so completely complicated to do so without spoiling people. Hopefully you forgive me for that! lol


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys get a longer chapter, though not much longer, so enjoy that! Also, thanks a ton for all this encouragement! It's really making this process easier and faster, believe it or not!

Darcy wasn’t sure how an epic make-out session turned into desperate clinging. It seemed the better option considering how intense it felt to kiss Loki. They were both trying to wrap their minds around this choice, and the trembling in each other’s arms was starting to turn pathetic. It didn’t stop her from dropping her forehead to his shoulderblade. Her body was on fire, but it wasn’t a fire demon… it was Loki (ironically a Frost Giant) causing it. So many guys she’d thought herself in love with at one time or another, but not once had she felt so overwhelmed and out of control. Emotions swayed and surged through her in anarchy. She was an absolute mess, then again, so was he.

“No way you could ever fall for a mortal, eh?”

Loki huffed against her scalp and dropped his head to the brick. “No one said I’ve fallen for you just yet,” was his reply.

“Do you always cling to women you’re not in love with after locking lips?”

Even his laughter was weak and breathless. “I cling to keep from the raping _you_ seem so certain I am capable of.”

Had she really accused him of that? It felt like months had passed since then. “Is there such a thing as willful rape?” His hands tightened around her like a threat. Her body buzzed with energy. Although no eyes watched, it seemed wrong to even _think_ about a quick release against the brick with their future son snacking on a hamburger inside. Sex would only complicate things now. They weren’t ready for it. If a kiss was capable of putting them in this state, she shuttered to think what sex would turn them into. “Nevermind… not the time.”

Loki seemed relieved by the words, as he yanked himself away from her. He looked just as terrified as she felt. Love would take time, but she felt like she was halfway there already. This ‘so-called’ god stared at her like she was his doom. It made her feel powerful, but it also made her feel humbled. Here they were, two perfectly intelligent beings, and they could do nothing to stop what was coming their way. The urgings of the universe had outwitted them both. “We should dine with the others before calling on Heimdall.”

Darcy nodded, peeling herself off the wall and trying to unwrinkle her clothes. “Food… I could really use something to eat right now.”

*~*~*

_Some Time In The Not Too Distant Future_

The silence along the rainbow bridge was deafening. Bodies of adversaries and fellow Asgardians littered the bridge and floated along the oceans below. The guardian of the Bifrost had been badly injured during the battle, but Eir had brought him back from the brink of death. The moment he’d recovered he’d returned to his post, clearing the way back to the bifrost personally.

Thor leaped off his horse a mere meter from Heimdall limping off in search of his helmet under the rubble. He’d found it, though it had not fared well. Heimdall was not dead, though he’d certainly tasted it’s icy touch. Thor surveyed the area for danger, preferring to be cautious after such an intense battle. Most of their enemies had escaped or been killed during combat, and there were losses on both sides… cripplingly so. The smoke of burned corpses stung at Thor’s eyes. He knew not how he would rebuild Asgard to it’s former glory after such tragedy. “No more lies. No more tricks. I am your king, and you will serve me this day.”

Heimdall turned towards Thor with those piercing eyes. His skin was caked with smoke and ash, making him look as black as night. He held his damaged helmet, while his sword lay off by the edge of the bridge, as if someone had flung it from his grip during a struggle. “You attack my honor? I have served you well… just as I served your father.”

Thor shook his head in disbelief. “Truly? You think me a fool? You think I am just as blinded by pride as he was?”

“Pride is the downfall of many kings,” Heimdall replied. “You are no different.”

The insult was crafty, and his blood boiled though he tempered his own rage as best he could. It was meant to distract, but he would not be so easily swayed. He had come for a reason and he could not forget his aim. “Where is Jor?”

“He is beyond my sight,” Heimdall answered.

Thor took a threatening step closer, barely containing his frustration. “ _Nothing_ his beyond your sight! You will tell me where he is!” Both men stood in silence, and he waited for the guardian to speak, but he never did. “Speak!”

Heimdall looked off towards the oceans with a great sigh. The once beautiful ocean showed him nothing but death. Their city was truly beyond recognition. “I will send you where you wish to go, my king, however… I can assure you… no good will come from it. Your father died with his choices. Are you prepared to die with yours?”

Thor backed away towards his stallion, head tipped to the side. “I will take the warriors.”

“No!” Heimdall insisted. “You will go unaccompanied. If you wish to find Jor, then you go alone.”

Heimdall’s words sent chills down Thor’s spine, and those eyes kept toward him unblinking. The question seared to his heart ached to be answered. There was no time like the present. If death awaited him in his struggle, he would know the truth. What harm could it do? “Did Loki kill Jane?”

The guardian stood tall, gently placing his helmet upon his head as a proper defender of Asgard. “Her death was an accident no one could have predicted. Loki was unaware that Idun’s apples had been tainted.” Thor visibly winced with the news, feeling the air leave his lungs in moments as the words sunk in. “I carried out your father’s will… before he passed. The apples of Idun were a trick to make her forget, but her reaction to them was strong.”

He felt sick, visibly ill as the truth cut deep into his soul. He felt shattered against the rocks, ruined beyond repair. “All these years… all the times I have asked for the truth! Why would you not tell me before now?!”

Heimdall did not look away. While his king dropped to the ground in pieces, he stood taller than ever before. “I swore an oath not easily broken. The time has come for you to know, my king.” He paused, walking over to Thor and offering him a hand. “Loki insisted you not learn the reality of her death. Ragnarök is upon us. Now is the time to be reborn.”

Thor slapped his arm away angrily, standing on his own. “I spent years wasting my anger on a man innocent of the crimes I accused him of! You could have prevented this!”

“I was prevented from speaking the truth, but Loki was not! You chose to let wrath come between brothers-”

“Brothers?! He has betrayed my trust so many times… why would I trust him not to hurt the woman I loved?!”

Heimdall’s eyes narrowed. “You trusted him with the golden apples of Idun’s garden… did you not?” Thor stilled for a moment, then turned away with a growl. “Where are you going, Thor?”

He climbed upon his horse, quickly steering the stallion back around. “You spoke of rebirth… if that is to pass then it must begin with Loki!”

*~*~*

_Present_

His meal remained untouched even as he watched Darcy enthusiastically consume her own order. Jor’s smile had brightened the moment they returned. There was so much hope left in that child. He was all the things Loki could never be. The others were deep in conversation, allowing him to observe. He watched the way Darcy smiled at Jor, with the kind of pride only a mother could understand. _‘You weren’t born to be king! You were born to be you!’_ The words hung over him like a curse, easing tensions he hadn’t realized he still carried. He’d spent his entire life by the words of Odin, reaching out for a greatness never meant for him. He’d been blinded by a broken promise, and it was Darcy who had opened his eyes… an inconsequential mortal.

He would love her till his last breath for those words. He knew that now. He could feel the pull, the way his fingers tingled for her, his lips pressed together to avoid the ghost of her mouth. She was like nothing he had ever known before on Asgard. No expectations. No demands. All he had to be was what he’d been all along. The god of mischief, and what mischief they would make together! Oh, he could feel it!

There was no room for selfish pride when Darcy was his aim. She was a puzzle he would happily spend his life solving. He wanted to know her deepest thoughts in a way he’d never cared to before. Was this the normal progression of developing feelings for another? Was it even possible for a being of such coldness to feel the warmth of love? For so long he had doubted the very possibility, but Jor was the evidence he could not deny.

Darcy caught his gaze, and her smile surprised him. It was soft. When had anyone ever smiled at him like that… yet still knowing the darkness of his soul? “Eat up, god of drama… you’re already as thin as my broom handle.”

Thor’s eyebrows rose, and he regarded Loki with such nervousness… as if waiting for upcoming tantrum. Loki had no reply to give. Instead he held Darcy’s gaze with returning smile and plucked a fry from his plate, slipping it into his mouth. Had his eyes deceived him? Her own had grown dark, pupils widening with a special kind of interest, though she immediately looked away with the usual awkwardness. Thor’s sigh of relief was almost comical.

His decision was made. He would steal Idun’s apples… and he would do it now. One for the oaf that would be king to give to his beloved, and one for Darcy… that she might taste immortality as well. He knew the way… even from Midgard. All he need do is slip away and take what belonged to them both. Not even Odin would stop him from what was deserved.

In seconds he made the switch. His double took his place with such precision, no one even noticed. His body slipped between spaces at such speeds, not even the eye of the immortal could behold him. Ever the trickster, he knew how to cover his tracks. While his double remained behind to eat and drink with the others, Loki searched for the pathways to Idun’s garden. His senses heightened as he opened the doors of space. He peered in each path for the road ahead, though the ones nearby were mostly dead ends.

He did not give up so easily. In the time it took Darcy to finish her chicken sandwich he’d passed through at least a dozen doorways in his search for Idun’s garden. Even in an almost non-corporeal form he could sense the moment he’d found the correct path by the way his body went numb, while his mind was set ablaze. The doorway was unmovable, if one could describe it as such. It was an opening with enormous pressure inside, discouraging him from pressing on as he slipped through it’s folds and was hurled through space.

His eyes opened to a paradise of green and gold. His hands shook from the journey, and he was forced to take a moment to catch his breath. Slipping through hidden pathways through the universe was much more difficult than using the Bifrost. It was painful and dangerous… but as a god he was more than capable. When his recovery was complete Loki walked down the brick path through orchards of the golden apple trees. Most were withering away with the disappearance of Idun… hence the reason they rationed the life giving fruit.

The sun’s glimmer caught his eye as he plucked the two apples closest to him and concealed them away. The shadow cast over him shielded his presence from Heimdall’s view, but it would not last long in such a place. With time ticking forward Loki rushed back to where he’d started and took the same pathway to return to Midgard. They wouldn’t even be aware he’d left, and Thor’s woman would be the immortal queen just as he wished. The other apple would go to Darcy, and perhaps… if they were lucky… she would survive the fire demon this time around.

The pressure was less intense on his return, more eager to have him removed than invite him to come. Taking the place of his double was just as quick and unseen, but as he peered down at his plate and realized it was empty, there was the knowing gaze of his son burning. Loki’s eyes flicked up towards Jor. His son said nothing, though his lips were pressed in a frown. Darcy was continuing on in an explanation of Democracy when compared to the rulership of a royal line. He couldn’t stop staring at Jor… wondering why the boy looked so concerned. It was as if Jor were searching for something in Loki’s gaze. He must not have found what he looked for; because he turned away seconds later to focus on his mother, though the frown remained.

Loki could feel the apples burning against his skin, whispering of so many possibilities. He was not doing this for Thor. His _brother’s_ plans were of little value to a god of mischief without a home, currently embracing the family he’d never realized he wanted. Though Darcy seemed to care for Jane Foster, the woman was of little use to Loki. Her fate was unknown to him. His deal with Thor was completed, and now he could embrace his own destiny with open arms. He would take care of these two… his family, with all the powers he possessed. He would show his worth to Darcy, and be the father he never had himself. Resisting fate had taken his toll. He had ultimately lost this fight.

“… so it’s governed by the people, get it?” Darcy continued.

Thor nodded, though his eyebrows were wrinkled in confusion. “With so many given the power to lead… is it not difficult to carry out the will of the collective?”

Darcy shrugged. “It can be a pain to get Republicans and Democrats to play nice. No government is perfect.”

Loki scoffed at that. “I would have made an excellent king,” he teased.

Thor stiffened beside him, while Darcy huffed in frustration. “Hasn’t my planet endured enough psychopaths?”

“I would be different,” he insisted.

“How so?” she challenged.

Loki’s answering smile was absolutely wicked. “I would be _your_ psychopath.”

Darcy bit her lip to keep from laughing. “Ugh, you are so pathetic,” she whined, while Thor and Jane sat with bewildered faces, having no knowledge of their evolving relationship. “If you’re going to flirt do it right, or not at all!”

With his hopes almost as equal to that of Jor’s, Loki leaned across the table. “And how does one flirt with a Midgardian, Lady Darcy?”

She paused for but a moment. “I have no idea… it’s probably in a self-help book somewhere.”

“What is a self-help book?” questioned Thor, trying desperately to keep up with the conversation.

It was Jane that answered, always keeping her love fully informed. “They help you learn new skills, or teach you about certain subjects… like how to play a sport or how to engage in certain social activities.”

Loki turned to look at Jane. “That might be just what Thor needs… do they happen to have one on how to be a worthy king?”

Darcy rolled her eyes. “The rivalry is getting old guys….”

Jor glanced at each of them, his frown ever present, eyes widening with a strange realization. **“Odin is dead.”**

The laughter died immediately upon his words, and even Loki felt his stomach twist strangely. “What did you say?” questioned Thor, all the color drained from his face.

Loki’s son only blinked. **“I felt something strange. I thought it was father… a coldness I’ve not felt in some time… not since I escaped my timeline. I know now, what it is. I sense death… a powerful death; Odin’s death. Nothing has changed… fate continues as it did before unyielding. This is how it all begins.”**

To Be Continued


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The stuff highlighted in italics is a flashback in case some of you get confused.

There were no words to describe the feelings of conflict seeping into Thor's bones at the sight of his father resting in eternal slumber. Frigga sat beside her husband with tears in her eyes, centuries together, and now their time was over. Was she not always by his side? Frigga, the dutiful wife, though they most certainly did not agree in all things. Her loss was clear, and it left Thor emptied and weary. Loki stood nearby to his right with an empty expression that set Thor's teeth on edge.

Despite everything that had happened between them, Thor honestly thought the death of Odin would be the last straw in his resistance to accept his family. Odin was there. He was not an absent father. He guided them both in life as best he could, and with all the love he was capable of. How could Loki be so unaffected?! Thor's hands shook with grief as he fell upon his father, head bowed in defeat. Jane was beside him in an instant, arms wrapped around him in support as the tears fell. Loki remained still, linking his hands behind his back, as he took in the scene before them, and Odin’s still form. "I believe it is time to take my leave. This is a moment for family," he spoke coolly, and Thor could hide his aversion to Loki’s behavior no longer.

"You refuse to mourn your own father?!" He growled angrily.

"Thor!" Frigga whispered with deep concern in her voice.

Loki kept his eyes to the ground. Silent tears ran down Darcy's face, though her gaze was on the trickster with such sympathy. "If it is of some comfort, Thor, I did not mourn Laufey's death either."

Thor was furious. All that kept him from standing was the affection Jane displayed, holding him back with her delicate embrace. "Then perhaps you _are_ the cold-hearted monster you claim to be!"

"Enough! Both of you!" Frigga insisted. Thor winced in shame while Loki's stone-face remained firm. Thor turned briefly to Frigga, but his anger was not turned away so easily even though he’d snapped his jaw shut. The All Father deserved better than this disrepair in his family. Could Loki not see that?!

Loki pulled something from his jacket with a quirk of his eyebrow. "No… he has a point. Perhaps I am ever so cold. What is it you once told me, Thor? I am incapable of sincerity?" Thor's eyes widened as the golden apple dropped to the foot of Odin's bed and rolled towards his hand, gleaming under harsh lighting. “Let us hail our fallen king who _lies_ and _deceives_ … and plays us for fools!” he spat callously.

"Loki... what have you done?!" Frigga gasped, eyes settled on the stolen enchanted fruit meant for Jane.

He ignored his mother entirely, holding Thor’s gaze. “Embrace this day _brother_ , for the kingdom is yours. Take of it’s fruit.”

Thor could not comprehend how Loki could disrespect Odin so. For all their disagreements, and there were certainly many, Odin had still been their father… the man to raise them! It was shameful to cast those memories aside over a few imagined slights! Thor reached for the small golden apple, feeling the skin of it underneath his fingertips. He had betrayed Odin by making his deal with Loki, and the guilt ate at him with such bitterness. He could bare it no more. He’d learned his lesson well. Odin only wanted what was best for Asgard, but Thor had been blinded by selfish desires. He'd done this for her, for Jane, but he’d also done this for himself. Born of noble blood, and he knew nothing of obedience. He’d betrayed his own father.

His eyes dropped to his father as Loki made a swift exit, followed immediately by Darcy Lewis. It was clear Loki would never be the brother Thor wanted him to be. He was wasting his breath. Silently he begged Odin for forgiveness, praying he could be half the god Odin had proved to be. In that moment any love left over for Loki began to die and fade. For the first time in his life Thor accepted Loki's choice. The man he was raised with, indeed, was not Thor's brother and never would be again. With crushing sorrow he let Loki drift from his heart. Thor’s hand slipped from the apple to grip Jane’s hand, holding onto her for dear life. “You were wrong, Odin… she does not make me weak. My love makes me strong.” He would make things right. Thor was now king, and it was his duty to honor his father’s memory… even if it meant following his own path.

*~*~*

"Loki. Loki wait!"

Darcy wasn't sure why she was chasing after him when it was obvious he wanted to be left alone. They were drifting into uncharted territory, and there wasn’t enough Doctor Phil books in the world to solve the problems of a family like Loki’s. She just couldn't let him be alone after losing Odin on top of his fight with Thor. It was obvious she should never leave a psychopath alone with his thoughts, just ask New York. Loki didn't even slow down, but she got the feeling if he wanted to ditch her, he would have. She sped up as fast as she could down the long hallway from Odin’s chambers and reached for his shoulder. Loki spun around in an instant, and her eyes widened to see tears in his eyes. "I have not the time, nor the patience!"

"Loki... please, I just... Thor was wrong to say what he did."

He shook his head, smiling through his tears. "If you think these tears are for Thor or Odin... you're wrong. His passing was to be expected and I _cherish_ this moment! There is nothing left for me in this place. My ties to Thor are broken. These tears are an expression of relief, nothing more!"

Darcy knew he was lying by the passion in his voice, his desperate insistence that he felt nothing while the opposite was so clearly written on his face. He was breaking, falling apart right in front of her, and she had no idea how to help. If Tara wasn't judging her for the kiss, there was no doubt she was judging Darcy for her sympathy. She realized she hated seeing Loki like this. Despite everything he’d done, she didn’t want him unhappy or hurt. Darcy wanted to make it all go away.

She did the only thing she could when she pulled him close, and buried her face in his leather-bound chest. Darcy held him tight, as if somehow she could keep him together and away from the brink. She was terrified he would ruin this thing between them before it even began. Darcy was holding on for dear life, as if a simple hug could somehow keep him from going off on a killing spree, but it was worth a try, wasn’t it?

He was stiff as a board, unmovable. He barely even breathed, but as his breathing evened, she felt a hand touched her back, gripping at her shirt. He buried his face in her shoulder as hot tears wet her skin. She found herself crying with him. He was shaking with each silent sob, and she knew it was for Odin, had no doubts it was for Thor. Had he ever allowed himself this moment before New York? Would it have made a difference even then?

It was obvious Loki would never have allowed Thor to see this side of him. It was too important to Loki that he remain every bit of the villain everyone thought him to be. He did it because it hurt Thor. Like a rebellious teen at the brink, Loki wanted nothing more than to send his family reeling even now. He was screaming at them to care, while desperately pushing away. This push and pull between them was over. It wasn’t about Jor anymore. It was about them. Loki was trusting her with something big.

Darcy swallowed the lump forming in her throat and pulled back to see his face. He was forced to bend over her because of their height difference, but he didn’t seem to mind. "I think I know why I'm going to fall in love with you," she found herself admitting as her hands caressed the sides of his face, still stained with tears.

His eyebrows wrinkled curiously. "My charm and good looks?" he remarked in an effort to grasp at the last of his godly dignity.

Darcy shook her head. "This... right here. All that flirting, all that cockiness, and badassery; you just cried on my shoulder and I want to rip your clothes off. Chick’s dig all that sensitivity." Loki could handle only so much intensity before it overwhelmed him. She needed to lighten the mood. Loki's smile was faint, but promising, and he closed his eyes as their foreheads met. He was holding onto her like a lifeline.

"Feel free to rip my clothes off anytime, Lady Darcy... I do beseech thee," he told her with a deeper voice than usual. She shivered at the implications.

Darcy was pretty sure, once again, that sex would be a really bad idea considering Odin wasn’t even buried six feet under, just yet. “Not sure now is the time, but I am available for that dinner… if you’re still willing.”

Loki nodded against her, closing his eyes briefly as he captured her lips in a kiss.

*~*~*

The dominoes were falling and Jor knew not how to stop it. He had not expected Odin’s death so soon. He knew from the stories his parents would share that he passed in the gardens of Idun. That had to mean something, did it not? What had he been up to? Idun had not been seen in nearly a generation, and although her apples remained, they were more or less a rarity. Jane Foster’s fate loomed over him like an aberration. If he managed to save her, then perhaps he could inevitably change the course of his history! Odin’s death was the first domino, though Jor was unclear why. His parents left so many details hidden, sharing the briefest of looks before they would change the subject when he posed questions about their past.

He watched in silence beside his father, gripping Loki’s hand as the boat drifted off in the waters alight with a fiery glow. Odin’s body would be consumed, but his impact on the universe would last lifetimes. The darkness over Asgard as crowds of people numbering in the thousands said goodbye to their fallen king was sending his heart fluttering in a panic. He needed to discover exactly what happened before picking up the pieces became impossible. Fate was truly a cruel thing, but the boy was not intimidated. He would not admit defeat so easily. His time was shorter than expected, but he’d made his decision. He would change everything. He had to.

With a quick glance to Thor, nervous tension overwhelmed the son of Loki. Jane was still by his side. There was still hope. She was the key. Now that his parents were embracing their futures, Jor could focus on the problem at hand. He would find a way to save her, and in turn all of Asgard… but _how_?! He was ill-equipped. Secrets whispered around Asgard were just soft enough to remain unheard by Jor’s ears. There was no doubt Jane would be next. He closed his eyes in his efforts to remember some detail he’d missed… anything that could help him!

_Jor stood by the fireplace, freezing parts of the flame for moments at a time. It was a childish way of keeping entertained, but then again… Jor was most assuredly a child. As he turned to his father reading, while Darcy rested peacefully in Loki’s arms, it struck him that her hair was beginning to grey. It was just a few strands, but his understanding of the significance eluded him._

_“Father? Why does her hair change colors?” he asked, watching Loki close his book to give Jor’s question thought._

_“She is mortal… they age and wither… it is a natural process.”_

_“You don’t,” Jor pointed out, curiously._

_Loki sighed, glancing down at his wife with soft eyes, shifting her closer to him than was necessary. “Even the gods can grow old. Old age is what took Odin in the end, and if I’m very lucky… the same fate will surely befall me. Idun’s apples are all that stands between a god and immortality.”_

_Jor had heard of the apples before, though he knew little about what they did. He stepped away from the fireplace to sit at his father’s feet, peering up at him expectantly. “Have you tasted these apples?”_

_His father nodded._

_“Why can’t you give one to mamma?” It seemed logical enough._

_Loki paused, the briefest of expressions crossing his face, and Jor identified it immediately as discomfort. “Idun’s apples are very rare. Stealing the fruit risks the wrath of Odin’s magic. The king of Asgard paid a heavy price… as we all did. His spell was cast on several of the apples, as living beings they behaved in choosing what would befall those who dare taste their fruits. To some nothing would happen… others were not so lucky.”_

_“Mother tried one?”_

_Loki shook his head, reaching out from his side. A flash of golden sparkled against the flame’s light and Jor realized immediately what it was. “I know not what it would do to your mother. I was fortunate enough to see it’s effects before I could give it to her. Odin’s spell went wrong, Jor… dangerously wrong.”_

_“How?!” Jor urged._

_His father paused for a moment to regard the apple before it disappeared, returning to it’s resting place. “She ate of it’s fruit as it ate away her memories. Such a simple thing, but the spell did not end there. She forgot all who mattered to her, she forgot all the knowledge and wisdom she possessed, and as the seconds ticked and the spell continued on… in the end she forgot how to breathe, how to live… how to keep her heart beating.”_

_Jor’s eyes widened in horror. “She expired?!”_

_Loki nodded glumly, and turned away to glance over at Darcy. “She slept eternally not long after Odin passed away. I realized then I would be forced to cherish the years fate gave me with your mother, and mourn her for centuries until my own time came. A lesson, my son… and I hope you learn it well. There is no sense in doing battle with fate.”_

Jor’s eyes opened in a flash, zeroing in on Jane. That had to be it! Even now his father was leading him, guiding him beyond the grave. Jane died not long after Odin’s passing, and if the woman in the story was Jane… then that meant… the apples! He had to keep her from the apples! He knew how to save her… and save her he would!

To Be Continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully this chapter explains quite a few questions you have or had about Jor. I have a bad feeling I'm going to be lynched if I don't keep posting as much of this story as I can through the week, but the good news we are so very close to the end. The bad news is there's gonna be LOTS of twists until then... so enjoy that!


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So remember when I said you guys were gonna be hating me soon. I refer you to this chapter. Let the mob violence begin....

_Some Time In The Distant Future_

The mystery related to Idun’s disappearance was largely untouched except in whispers among the curious. How had she disappeared? Would she ever return? Who could have possibly taken her, and for what purpose? Some suspected Loki, the trickster was often the first to be blamed for such things, after all. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d done such things to anger the gods for his own amusement, but he’d outgrown those petty ruses for bigger game. No one could have suspected the reality… but everything Odin ever did had a purpose.

Idun’s delicate hands slipped over the worn metal of Heimdall’s breastplate, ash staining the pale skin of her fingertips. “We knew this day would come,” she finally spoke, though he refused to meet her gaze. With so many dead it was not a surprise that doubt would cloud his judgment. He was the first defense of Asgard, protector of the city and it’s people. Not even he could have prevented it’s destruction, though he most certainly would have tried if not for the oath he’d made. Now was the time to cast off the old ways. The reign of Asgard over the nine realms had reached it’s inevitable end, and the evil had finally slipped away the veil to reveal themselves. They’d destroyed each other in the process, but in the ashes of their sacrifice new growth would finally be made possible. They had to remember that.

Finally Heimdall’s gaze passed over her, worn and heavy with the skeletons he’d been forced to bare. “I wonder… would Odin’s resolve have slipped if he were here to see what has become of us.”

She shook her head, lips pressed together in a tight frown. “And what could he have done to change the stars, Heimdall? If we are to be saved at all… sacrifices must be made. Our burns are severe, but this is the beginning… not the end.”

It was Odin, aware of the coming future, who had chosen to tuck Idun away in a world beyond the realms most knew. Heimdall was instructed to return her to Asgard when the dust had settled. There was no avoiding this war, the day the gods would meet their doom, but Idun was the only one who could ensure their restoration. Not all his decisions were wise, but in the end he was well aware of the stakes. She watched Heimdall’s silent nod. “Thor has returned to the palace in great anger. Eir is awaiting our signal to revive Loki from the slumber of a temporary death.”

Idun lifted a single eyebrow, and raised her eyes to the sun peeking out over the horizon. “Not just yet… but soon. There is someone I must see to first. I have my own promises to keep.”

Heimdall knew well the request Loki had made, as she’d been careful to fill him in on all that would come to pass. If Loki’s life should be restored… then _hers_ should be protected. They were a package deal, and Idun was more than willing to accept after all the sacrifice he and his family had made. The god of mischief was not the only one with the ability to create duplicates, and although no one would ever noticed the burned corpse of Darcy Lewis fade away into nothing… someone would surely take note when she was pulled through the bifrost from Midgard. “We must hurry. The timing must be precise if I am to send them both back for Jor.”

Idun leapt across the damaged bridge over metal and bodies towards his sword. It was the key to the bifrost, enhanced since she’d left Asgard. Not only would it open gateways to other worlds… but other points in time as well. It was a gift she’d bestowed upon Heimdall at great cost. She inserted the sword into place carefully, and watched the bifrost activate while Heimdall waited outside. The room hummed with activity and the sudden flow of energy as a single mortal was pulled through.

“Jesus!” Darcy gasped; collapsing into Idun’s awaiting arms with wide and stunned eyes. “You guys have really got to do something about the rough ride.”

All Idun could do was smile as Heimdall joined them both. “I’ll put it on the list… but I believe it best not to keep Eir waiting. Your husband is dead and your son cast off into the past.”

Darcy nodded, immediately sobering. “Right… busy day.”

*~*~*

_Present_

**“Grounded?! What does that even mean?!”** Jor would in no way disrespect the gift bestowed upon him by Stark, but the mechanical voice lacked the proper feelings he so desperately wished expressed. Frustration welled inside his small frame.

Eir regarded him with a curious look, slapping the bracelet around his arm. It pinched at Jor’s skin, though he forced himself not to show it. “Did you truly think you could escape an entire realm and avoid the consequences of those actions so easily? The orders came from Thor himself… with some Midgardian twists from your mother.”

Jor picked at the bracelet only to frown when it tightened it’s hold on his arm like the coiling of a snake. His magic pressed against it desperately in search for a loophole, but the curse upon his wrist was thorough. He could feel it… it’s power with a motherly touch that could only have come from Frigga herself. The bracelet was enchanted by her, and Jor knew not how to break free from such magic. **“Where is my mother? I must speak to her! No one would allow me to see my parents after Odin’s interment.”**

The older man had a strange countenance than others in Asgard, though it was hard to express exactly why he was different. Eir moved with a womanly grace, his features less built than most Aesir, and he was one of the few that Jor had yet to see wearing armor or metal of any kind. As healer, he made an oath to do no harm, but to choose such a path was most often times a woman’s preference in Aesir society. Eir dropped his hands to his hips with a tired frown. “The All Father is dead. Most would not wish to be disturbed on such a day… not even the god of mischief.”

 **“Then I will speak to Thor!”** he spoke, insistently and with just a hint of panic swelling in his gut. He cursed his inability to scream and moan, like most young ones his age. Such displays had been trained out of him long ago… not that it would matter as he found himself without voice.

“He does not wish to be disturbed either… nor Frigga, the Lady Jane… none of them. I was commanded to give you the bracelet, and ensure you are in bed for the evening. I saw the lashings that guard received for missing your disappearance. I will not be enduring the same fate because the son of Loki!”

Jor’s eyes widened as he stepped away. **“It is urgent! A life is at risk!”** Would the man not listen?! Would he not even try?! Eir regarded him with such a lack of interest, casting off his concerns as childish fallacy! It was maddening! Never had he resented his age so much. **“You yourself are well aware of where I hail from! My foreknowledge is of no benefit if I am not allowed to leave!”**

“Nothing will be done this night, Jor. All in Asgard mourn this day. It can wait.”

**“It cannot! What if Jane is given the golden apple?! Idun’s apple! A curse is upon it, and she will surely die!”**

Eir’s frown deepened, staring him down as if waiting for the punchline of a joke. “Even if Idun’s apples were cursed, do you truly believe this would be the night she chose to eat from the tree… so soon after Odin’s passing?”

Jor had no idea when Jane was said to have died. The stories passed down to him were incomplete and lacking details. He couldn’t anticipate anything; though he loathed to admit… it did seem unlikely to happen so soon. Even so, he could not waste time with fate so eager to fulfill it’s goals. **“All I ask is that I be allowed to see her… briefly! I must see to her safety!”** he maintained.

Eir straightened, waving off a hand and turning away towards the door. “Children and your impatience! Your punishment begins now. I suggest you wait until morning to play such games,” he said, leaving the room, and grumbling about more mischief in the house of Odin. Once again his father’s name served him well… no one would ever trust a child born to Loki!

Jor rushed after him, but as the door closed he could feel the strong pull of Frigga’s magic. His body slid to a halt despite his intentions and he dropped to the floor hard. In his anger, the boy’s fist hit the ground. He struggled against the pull, reaching for the door and feeling the pressure drain his magic. It was an agony fighting against the bracelet, and sweat covered his forehead during his straining till exhaustion forced him away.

All was lost. His power was scanty. He who was known to wield magic better than his own father… and he couldn’t even fight the effects of the bracelet. Jor’s lungs screamed for air as a full panic set in, and his anxiety took hold. The world began to spin once the attack hit him full force. Useless! He was useless! And in those moments, there was no power in the world that could keep Jor from his tears.

*~*~*

Jane awoke to an empty bed. She wasn’t surprised to see the balcony door open, and drapes flowing in the Asgardian wind. There was a hint of salt in the air, and the sound of waves crashing against the rocks below the city. It was strange to think the city was in mourning with such beauty surrounding them. Thor was watching the sun rise while regarding whatever it was he was holding in his hands, just out of sight.

She took a moment to stretch, her body still stiff from the night before. Her muscles protested, but it was the first night since she’d returned to Asgard that amorous activity hadn’t happened. Instead, Jane had spent most of the night listening to Thor tell stories about Odin and his life as a boy. She hadn’t missed the fact that he avoided even speaking Loki’s name… as if he could wipe the man from his history so easily.

He seemed so lost with Odin gone. She didn’t know how to fix it. The rug had been ripped out from under him, and he was still struggling to find his footing. Jane wondered what kind of king he would grow to be. She couldn’t imagine a better leader for his people. He would be strong and kind; Jane swore to herself to remain beside him to provide whatever he needed.

Foster slipped from the bed and silently walked over to the balcony, wrapping her arms around his thick frame, and resting her forehead against the middle of his back. She could feel him relax under her touch. “My Jane… you know not how your support saves me,” he whispered sadly.

Jane moved from behind Thor, letting him pull her to his side as they embraced. She’d never felt him grip her so hard, his breathing so shallow against her temple. “I love you,” she told him, realizing in that moment how true her words were. She’d never expected to fall in love so quickly, but she felt like they were meant for each other. This is what she wanted, just him.

Thor kissed her forehead tenderly. “My father’s death has shaken me to my core, but having you with me brings peace to the chaos. I… my only regret is that the All Father never saw your worth.”

She couldn’t really be surprised by Odin’s reaction to her. She was a scientist… not royalty, and what did she know about helping Thor rule an entire kingdom? Their romance had been so sudden, and she’d never really had the chance to think about what she would do when things started getting serious. Now that it was obvious she wasn’t going anywhere… she found herself overwhelmed by the prospects that might lie before her. “Who says he didn’t?” she replied with a faint smile, leaning on her tip-toes for a gentle kiss. “It’s still early… we should go back to bed.”

Thor shook his head, raising his other hand to reveal the golden apple Loki had given him before in Odin’s chambers. She hadn’t really understood it’s significance… she still didn’t, or why he looked so nervous all of the sudden. “I love you, Jane… more than you could ever fathom. Whether Odin agreed or not, nothing I do is worthwhile without you by my side.”

His words hung in the air like a promise, and she could feel her own heart soring. No other man had ever treated her with the respect and devotion that Thor did. “Hey… no one said I plan on going anywhere.”

“But you will,” Thor insisted, and she could see the sadness in his eyes. “You are mortal, and it is this that haunts my waking hours. If I lost you-”

“You’re not going to lose me… stop talking like that,” she whispered softly, slipping a hand to his face and watching him lean into her touch.

“If I am to rule Asgard… I need you by my side, Jane. You have made me better. It was you that made me worthy of Mjolnir. You taught me to look past my prejudices and my assumptions. You taught me to see these realms with new eyes. You taught me humility and the power of unselfish love. All that I have, all that I am… it was your doing.”

She couldn’t help but blush at his words. Jane could admit, at least to herself, that his chivalry was overwhelming at times. She wasn’t used to it. So many men had found her intellect imposing. They wanted what was less complicated, so she’d thrown herself in her work. At some point she stopped trying for all the things most people looked for… the family, little house with a white-picket fence… kids. “It’s not like you haven’t changed me too.”

His smile was faint, and his eyes drifted towards the apple in his hand. “Do you know what this is?”

She shook her head.

“This is an apple from Idun’s garden. Once the gods were as you are… mortal… so many centries ago, but with this gift we are granted immortality. If I am to rule Asgard, then I will need a Queen… a _worthy_ Queen. I can think of no one better than you.”

Jane’s eyes widened. “So instead of the ring… I get the apple?” she asked curiously, her mind ablaze with questions as to the fruit’s make-up. She wondered what kinds of enzymes and vitamins would be found inside. She knew nothing about biology… not really, but even she would happily study the golden fruit for years to unlock it’s secrets. “How does it grant immortality?”

Thor’s eyebrows wrinkled in confusion. “It… simply does. Idun’s magic allows it to prosper.”

“Magic is just unexplained science… there has to be something… some genetic modifications that were made. Do you know how many people would kill to study this?” She realized as his face fell, that she was ignoring the gravity of the moment. He’d just asked her to marry him and be his wife forever… literally. “I’m sorry… I just… can’t help myself sometimes.”

His smile was a breath of fresh air after all the sorrow she’d witnessed the night before. “Your mind is… dizzying,” he admitted.

Jane laughed at that. “That’s one way of putting it!”

He held the apple to her, waiting. “I want you beside me, Jane… but only if you wish the same.”

Jane took a deep breath, reaching out to take it from his hand. It’s skin was smooth like that of a regular apple. She wondered if it would taste the same too. Forever with Thor? Could she really pass that up? Her eyes settled on his face, light from the rising sun making him glow just as brightly as the apple in her hand. “I do,” she whispered to him, and took her first bite.

To Be Continued


	16. Chapter 16

_Some Time In The Distant Future_

Thor fought with the fury of an army when angry, but it did nothing for his focus. It made him sloppy. It was Eir that enlisted Sif’s help to keep her husband busy until Idun and Heimdall arrived, and though it pained her to turn from his side, the god of thunder could not be allowed to interrupt the reviving process. “And why does it not surprise me that you might be involved in this ploy?!” Thor boomed, cutting deep in a way the point of a blade never could.

Sif twisted from his hold expertly and dodged his hammer. With the curse of Odin lifted from Mjolnir, Thor was free to wield the hammer whether worthy or not. In the years that followed Jane Foster’s passing, the man she once knew faded until nothing but a hollow shell remained. It was then that the lady warrior realized a shift in loyalties was necessary, but not in a million years would she have expected to align herself with the trickster. Heimdall had been just as weary, but Idun was eloquent in her argument. Actions spoke louder than words ever could. While Thor’s mind fell into darkness, Loki’s had managed to escape it. The fact that a woman could impact this change was startling to Sif, leaving her bitter… though not overly so.

Thor did not hold back in his attack. The ground quaked as he slammed down his hammer in an effort to make her lose footing, but with a quick flip over his right shoulder and a strike to his back, she managed to gain the upper hand. Years fighting in combat alongside Thor had given her insight on his weaknesses, though the same could be said about Thor’s knowledge of her. The difference was in their emotional states. She was forced to take a page from Loki’s book of tricks, using the weakness against him.

“No… I am not your Lady Jane, am I?! I am simply a means to an end! I do what needs to be done, for Asgard. It’s over, Thor!”

Thor’s hesitation gave her the window she needed to thrust her sword towards his middle, but he deflected the blow just in time. With a growl he snatched at that arm and threw her down, hammer ready to crush her into dust if she’d not rolled away. “Then you too were aware of my father’s manipulations? Years I wasted in my rage!”

Sif laughed at that. “Your rage was a waste from the very beginning! No one despised Loki as much as I… but a clearer mind would have seen he was not responsible!” she spat.

Thor slammed down his hammer once more, forcing another roll, and she scrambled to her feet. She managed to slice at his side as she ducked past his left, and swung for another blow. He bled, but his resolve remained strong as he spun to avoid the tip of her sword and threw his hammer, slamming her chest, crushing rib bone, and sending her to the floor. She was defenseless. The weight of his hammer would not be moved. His panting gave her time, gasping to catch his breath. “Did you really believe you stood a chance, Sif?” he questioned. She didn’t miss the tears in his eyes.

Sif struggling for breath before speaking. “No…” she admitted, but it wasn’t their current match that she thought of. She was foolish to believe Thor Odinson would ever see her as more than a replacement. His heart would always belong to Jane. While Thor had seen the fire in her eyes, respected her skill as a warrior… he’d never allowed himself the chance to see what lied underneath her armor. Sif, was most assuredly still a woman, falling madly for a man who would never feel the same. “My love was never enough, Thor. One cannot love for two. Grant me a warrior’s death. I, at the very least, deserve that.”

His eyes widened, hands hanging to his sides, refusing to call Mjolnir back to him. “You really believe me capable of killing you?”

She met his gaze without fear. “No one loved Loki more than you… and yet that did not hold you back from dispatching him.”

“I… didn’t know!” Thor insisted. “I was-”

“Tricked?! Deceived?!” Sif shouted from underneath his hammer. “Shall we blame the entire realm for this betrayal? Would it have mattered if you’d known?! Answer me honestly, or spare me and grant me death!”

Thor looked shaken to his core, lost and without purpose. It’d been that way since he lost Jane. “I… thought he’d taken the single most precious thing I had,” he argued weakly.

“No Thor… the blame never rested on him or Odin! You are to blame for her death! Jane Foster trusted you, and it was you who betrayed that trust!” Anger flared inside her, and she could hold it back no longer. If she would die… she would die speaking her mind as she’d always done. “You were foolish to the bitter end! You never even stopped to think about the impact of your choice! Odin knew this… he knew she was not right for Asgard! Her people needed her, but are not the gods the most selfish of them all?! You brought this down upon us… as did your father, but he knew his sins! He refused immortality to preserve the greater good… Odin put the needs of all of us over selfish pride! He tried to teach you better… both you and Loki! Ironic that the one who learned this lesson is the one we all branded a villain!”

She could see the moment her words did battle with his heart, watched him fall to his knees. “I just… wanted her.”

Sif closed her eyes, swallowing her own pain as she’d done for so many years. “We can’t always get what we want Thor. Even the Midgardians know this to be true….”

She felt the weight of Thor’s hammer leave her, and for a moment she’d been certain death was imminent. Instead, her eyes opened and she found green eyes staring back… the worn green eyes of Loki. His smile was of little comfort, though she welcomed his presence. “Well said…” he whispered softly, and Thor’s gaze snapped up to his estranged brother. Loki turned stiffly to face the broken king, eyes hardened and cold. “Hello, _brother_.” Sif did not miss that it was Loki holding Thor’s hammer limply at his side. What he planned to do with it… not even she knew for sure.

*~*~*

_Present_

Darcy absentmindedly curled some of Loki's hair around her finger. Their dinner had gone cold hours before, remaining untouched at the foot of the bed. Her yawn broke the comfortable silence between them and Darcy shrugged when Loki's head shifted in her lap to see past the rather large boobs she was sporting. He smiled warmly, letting a finger slide down her arm sensually. An entire night together just trying to sort things out, and resisting the urge to jump each other's bones was taking it's toll. Darcy still had so much guilt to work through. Even if Loki hadn't been directly responsible for the deaths in New York, it was him that opened the doorway to the army who did his dirty work.

Some of the night had been spent discussing Thanos. In his desperate state, Loki had bargained for his life. He’d fallen from his family and his sanity… that’s how he put it. He’d been forced to prove himself to Thanos to avoid meeting his end. While he thought himself clever enough to manipulate such a titan, it was really Loki being twisted in mind and soul. By the time he made it to earth, everything was at stake, and his body was still just barely recovering from what he’d endured. Conquering her planet would ensure he be allowed to live, and in his desperation he clung to the fact that he could make their world better in the process and prove he was capable of being king despite Odin’s doubts.

She found it difficult to make peace with the two versions of Loki... the interplanetary dictator and... the confused boy desperate to prove himself under his father’s watchful gaze. So many times Loki insisted he was irrational, insane, in loss of all senses. His emotions were so raw and open… and Darcy was pretty sure Jor had similar issues. Like father, like son. "We've been up all night... I feel like I could pass out," she admitted with another yawn.

His bed was warm and soft under her folded legs which Loki had turned into his personal pillow sometime between midnight and three in the morning. Part of her wanted nothing more than to lay back and fall blissfully unconscious, but things were still so strange… between her and Loki. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust him… it was just… how _could_ she trust him? How could she actually believe he was safe when not even Loki was certain? "I wouldn’t be opposed to keeping you here. It’s quite possible I shouldn’t be left alone in my vulnerable state," he teased.

Loki seemed to cling to his wicked humor to keep the weight of his father's death from crushing him. She'd seen firsthand how badly he was taking it. His sense of humor was kinda twisted, but she knew it was all just self-preservation. He was trying to tuck away his pain in the same closet he hid everything else. Locking it away meant less damage for those feelings to inflict upon his already raw state of mind. "Tara used to do that too... the flirty deflective thing. It used to piss me off," she noted. While Loki took comfort by locking away his troubles, Darcy much preferred facing them head on.

"And now?" Loki questioned.

"I guess I get it," she sighed, running her other hand through surprisingly soft hair. It looked stiff as a board, but felt like silk in her hand. "Doesn't mean I won't encourage other options. Locking everything away usually causes its own issues, like emotional eruptions that end in planetary subjugation."

"Will you _ever_ let that go?" Loki sighed dramatically.

" _Midgardians_ are not very forgiving of that sort of thing... nor am I," she insisted with a tug of his long black hair, mocking his accent.

Loki smiled. "Sounds like fun... I do so enjoy watching you get angry."

She couldn't help rolling her eyes... the kinky bastard! Her lips pressed together in a frown as she wondered what a future with Loki would look like. She imagined there would be lots of running. Loki sucked at diplomacy. She'd probably end up cleaning a lot of Loki's mischievous messes. Their arguments would be terrifying, though Jor claimed they didn’t do it often… or maybe they just didn’t do it around him? "You wouldn't like me when I'm angry," she told him, this time mocking Bruce Banner.

Loki's mouth opened to reply when a pounding at his door interrupted their mushy moment. Darcy panicked with the thought that being seen in Loki's room in the early hours might give people the wrong impression. It wasn’t that she was ashamed of Loki… much. Then again, she knew for a fact she wouldn’t be receiving any gold stars for aligning herself with the god of mischief. She watched Loki's face close off in seconds. "I asked not to be disturbed!"

"I am well aware, however your manipulative son has ruined my peaceful respite with warnings of oncoming danger," grumbled Eir on the other side of the thick door.

Darcy smiled at that, wondering how he'd reacted to his clever punishment. She slid out from under Loki. "Duty calls," she insisted before he could protest, and headed towards the door. It was heavy and large, forcing her to struggle in opening it. The look on Eir's face was less than pleasant, and his hair was just messy enough to make him look like he'd just woken up. "Jor isn't causing problems, is he?"

Eir didn't even look surprised to see her as he rudely stalked inside Loki's chambers. "Last night I gave him little thought, but I could not sleep. Jor was insisting he see you... or Thor concerning a peril in Asgard. I didn't take it seriously, but I find myself restless. If his words are the truth... I would feel responsible."

Darcy's pleasant mood immediately melted away. "Danger? Who's in danger?"

"Thor perhaps?" Loki grumbled hopeful.

"This isn't funny, Loki!" Darcy scolded and turned back to Eir. "What did Jor tell you?"

Eir let out a long sigh, hesitating for several moments. "He could just be trying to get us to remove the bracelet!" he pointed out.

She didn't have time for his doubts. She doubted Jor would manipulate anyone with the threat of danger that didn't exist. "Eir... tell me," she urged.

Eir flashed a worried look, and finally gave in. "Jane Foster. He said her life hung in the balance."

*~*~*

Thor had been the last one to see Jane Foster early that morning. Not a soul had seen her since. While search parties took sections of the city, Darcy found herself keeping to the more familiar places Jane might have decided to explore. She wasn’t disappointed when she saw her boss round the corner, dragging her hand over the thick walls with that usual curiosity. So many times Darcy had complained about Jane… about having to keep an eye on her at all times because of that damned inquisitive mind. She was always contemplating life, breaking down the universe into equations and theories that went straight over Darcy’s head. Political science major… Darcy knew how the world worked socially… not mathematically. She much preferred it that way.

“Jane! You scared the crap out of us! What the heck are you doing?!” she snapped, the tensions easing from her body as she caught up to her friend. “Listen… it seems like you might be in some danger. I haven’t talked to Jor yet, but if he’s concerned… we should all be concerned. We’re a little unclear on the details, but Eir said something about apples…” she rambled on. They hadn’t really told Thor that part yet. They’d been more focused on finding her before they worked out Jor’s warnings. As usual, Thor was off in a blaze searching for her on the other side of the palace.

Jane blinked as if in a daze, tipping her head to look at Darcy with weary eyes. “How do you know my name?” she questioned. “Where am I?”

To Be Continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I won't be posting as quick over the weekend, so enjoy the break. It'll allow me the opportunity to catch up on future chapters and keep them flying through the week till this story ends. As always, your comments are awesome and I squish you with hugs for reading! :D


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This bit get's pretty angsty, but no more than usual. Hopefully, it's believable. I wrote several versions of this chapter and it took a while for me to find one that I was satisfied with.

It behaved like a virus. Nerve connections were severed, cells were breaking down, and her brain seemed incapable of repairing the damage. The connections weren't just affecting her memories either, but communication to other organs. In effect, her body was shutting down one by one with each burned bridge in her cerebral cortex. Eir had never seen anything like it. There was no healing spell to fight such a massive break down. Even if he could restore nerves and cells that had died off, memories were disintegrating before his very eyes. Her dementia would worsen, she'd lose mobility, the capability to comprehend language, her senses, and that was just the beginning.

This... it was his doing. He should have listened to Jor sooner. Her cerebrum was being attacked the worst, though the damage was certainly making its way back toward the cerebellum. Eventually it would reach the brain stem. Automated functions would cease. She'd stop breathing; her organs would shut down with no one to tell it what to do. In effect, she would forget how to live....

*~*~*

“Jane please… you know me… my Jane,” his voice shook like that of a child’s. He could not hide his despair.

She looked upon him as if he were a stranger to her. Though her eyes were filled with curiosity, her ability to comprehend him eluded her. She barely spoke, despite his urgings. He missed the confidence in her voice, the way her mind would send his spinning with incomprehensible words. Thor’s hand’s touched hers, only to feel the ache when she pulled away. She didn’t know him. She didn’t know anything. He was at a loss to understand it. How was this even possible?

Eir stood behind him silently like a shadow. “I demand you tell me who is responsible for this… tell me _everything_ you know.” His words were whispered, but not soft. His intent was clear. If he was to lose Jane, then the person responsible would lose so much more.

“It’s not that simple… I’m not even sure what to make of this. Whatever curse ravages her mind, it is most powerful. It was Jor who insisted he see you yesterday evening. His ramblings seemed outrageous at the time… Idun’s apple could never do something like this-”

Thor’s eyes widened as he spun around to face the healer. “You say it was Idun’s apple that did this?!” It couldn’t be! The apple was meant to give life, not bring about death! It was meant to restore and revitalize… not break down! Loki retrieved them himself… Loki… retrieved them _himself_.” Darkness swirled through his mind in an instant, flashing memories of the apple dropped onto Odin’s bed. He hadn’t even considered the source. Loki was many things… but this? Then again, had he not threatened Jane before? “This curse was brought about with magic… dark magic?!”

Eir hesitated, looking less than certain. “As I have never seen anything like this… I cannot comment. Odin would know of this… perhaps Frigga, but this… it is beyond me.”

“But is it beyond Loki?!” Thor’s voice boomed, making Jane jump in her bed, though Thor was beyond noticing in his rage. Loki had betrayed him. Loki was the one who provided Thor the apple. He was the one Thor trusted with such an important task! Silvertongue… he would not hesitate to dispatch Thor or anyone he held dear. He’d gone too far this time. His disrespect for Odin… this curse upon Jane.

“I cannot be certain, my king,” Eir replied sadly.

Thor needed no such reply. Finally he could see the truth for himself. The last of the scales fell from his eyes, and the evil of his brother had finally been made manifest. Thor turned back to Jane. She was staring with such fear, eyes darting around, like an animal cornered in the hunt… it turned his stomach. The tears fell without his consent. She was leaving him with each passing moment. He was losing her. He was losing _Jane_. He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t think. In those moments insanity took hold. He would not let this go unpunished. He would not stop until Loki was dead. Thor made the call for Mjolnir, felt his muscles ease as he allowed his hatred grow, fed it eagerly. No one would stop him. Loki would pay.

_Some Time In The Distant Future_

Silence hung between brothers like the calm before a storm. The recently revived Loki Odinson still held tight to Thor’s weapon with a threatening stance, and Thor seemed more than ready to accept his fate with the open arms of someone devastated and beyond all hope. Sif rested on her elbows with wide eyes, fearing for the violence that would surely result after years of rivalry. It was Loki that moved first, taking another small step towards Thor, but the hammer fell from his grip and a hand rose instead empty.

Thor took a deep breath and shook his head. “Have I fallen so far that it is you who pity me now?” he questioned, moving to stand on his own, without Loki’s assistance.

Loki stood tall and proud as he met Thor’s gaze, and Sif wondered if she’d ever remembered such a sight in all her days alongside them. Loki did not stand in Thor’s shadow, nor was there jealousy in his gaze. Thor did not shine with purpose and energy, nor was his smile wide and untainted. “The question is not how far you have fallen, Thor… but if you have the cunning and skill necessary to get back up; which, I believe you may have. However, I would encourage you to attend to your wife… that is, if you have finished your marital squabble?”

Thor’s eyes widened for a moment before he turned to look down at Sif. He hesitated briefly before pulling her up, though she needed no assistance. Sif accepted his help, nonetheless, still somewhat mystified at the thought of Loki refusing to take vengeance on the brother he’d hated for so many centuries. When she turned to catch his eye, she was convinced family life suited him. He had found something worthwhile, funneled his passions, and tamed his heart. She would not have believed Loki Odinson could ever be tamed in any respect… until now.

“Does this mean you two’ve made up?”

In seconds the calm in Loki’s face dissipated as he turned to see his wife alongside Heimdall. They were in each other’s arms in an instant, and their kiss was that of true desperation. Darcy’s very presence changed his countenance, as if he’d not truly been whole until her arrival, and the same could be said for her. A simple touch and relief healed the burn of their separation. Sif wondered if she’d ever felt that way once… she could not recall such a time.

“Jor?” Loki asked her quietly.

Darcy nodded. “He was sent back, and I was sent home. Tony sends his regards.”

Loki smirked at that. “I don’t doubt it.”

Their smiles indicated a shared jest between them, though Sif was far too worn to question the matter… especially when the goddess Idun was revealed from behind Heimdall, staring straight at Sif. “Thor… son of Odin… we cannot change the past, only learn from it,” she spoke, and finally turned to face the man himself. “Today you make a choice that will see you ruined or see you dead.” Idun, gone for so many years and there was sadness in her eyes alongside unwavering hope. “I am sorry, Thor… but you must go back.”

*~*~*

_Present_

“You are better than this, Jor,” his father insisted, forcing his son to look at him. Jor looked through him, but not at him. He didn’t wish to see the disappointment in those green eyes. He refused to see it. With the warmth of his bed to envelope him after his final defeat, he needed nothing else. There was little anyone could say to remove him when he felt the cold hand of death on the horizon. Now Jane would leave this realm as Odin did. He had failed her. 

Memories flooded his mind like a thorough punishment. He replayed all the stories his mother would tell of Foster’s efforts to find Thor when they were separated, about her dizzying intellect, and her passion for her work. Though Jor had cemented no bond with the woman, it was clear to him now that he should have. Why hadn’t he? Why hadn’t he paid closer attention? Her future would have been made apparent to him, he could have saved her, prevented what he knew would result from her untimely death.

This was his doing, and he deserved the same grueling death Jane Foster was forced to endure. He would not eat. He would not drink. He would lie in bed for as long as it took to end his miserable existence. “He still won’t move,” his mother sighed, touching Jor’s forehead as if to check for fever. “Is he sick? Could he have what Jane has?”

Loki shook his head. “His memories are intact. His emotions are… chaotic, dark… full of self-hatred.”

Lewis rolled her eyes. “Sounds familiar….”

“You blame me for this?!” his father snapped defensively.

“I blame you for a lot of things Loki… like the fact that Jane might be dying because of that damned apple you gave Thor!”

And now his parents were once again at war? That just completed his failure. For what reason would his parents work so hard to create him, when it was obvious all he was meant for was catastrophe? Jor closed his eyes tightly, shutting out the world.

“Jor believed it to be Idun's apple that did this... it can't be," he told her. "They were unmolested, ripe for the picking. No being is capable of leaving such a powerful curse… not even the All Father… unless… unless what I found was not of Idun’s garden at all. Darcy, I might have been deceived… I _know_ I was!”

“Or I was right about you all along!” replied Darcy with such mistrust it cut at Jor’s soul. His eyes slowly opened to take in the anger on his father’s face. His anger wasn’t directed at her. It wasn’t even directed at Jor.

“When I broke into Idun’s garden I took two of her apples, Darcy! Not one! It was my plan… my plan to give you the other. No god would dare marry a mortal, when he is sure to outlive his love!”

“Love?! Are you serious?!” his mother’s eyes were wide, almost in a panic. Jor wanted to scream. He wanted to beg them to stop, but did he even wish for them to find love anymore? They would be creating a disappointment. He would do them no good. “You don’t even love me, Loki!”

“You think yourself capable of reading my mind?!”

“Why not?! It isn’t so hard when you refuse to censor yourself! No regrets, no apologies… you just do and say whatever the hell you want! Am I right?! Why the hell would you steal those apples?! What makes you think I would _ever_ want to eat magical fruit and live like you do?! When did I ever even give you the indication that I would be _open_ to something like that?!”

“Then I am foolish to believe you might want to spend an eternity with me?!”

“The rest of my life, of course… but an eternity?! Not on your life!”

Loki’s eyebrows wrinkled in confusion. “Then you _do_ wish to become my consort?”

Darcy’s mouth opened and closed, as if she’d been unaware of her own words or their meaning. Jor stared at her expectantly; heart beating so fast he was certain his parents would hear it. Finally she spoke, “I… can’t really turn back now, can I?”

“Would you want to?” Loki urged.

“I don’t know!” snapped Darcy, and moved away from Jor’s side as if feeling trapped, but Loki was quick to follow. “Maybe… I… god, my friend is _dying_ , Loki! This isn’t the time!”

“It is the only time that matters!” Loki asserted without question. “You would refuse life eternal… but would you refuse _me_ … if you were given a choice?”

She turned back to Loki, eyes softening, but then her gaze moved past to look upon Jor. He refused to shy away. It was obvious he’d been listening, was well aware of what they fought over. He felt compelled to know… was his existence even born out of love? Was fate simply playing a game with them all, lining them each like pieces on a chessboard?

A tear escaped Darcy’s right eye and she brushed it away almost immediately, turning back to Loki. “I wish I had the answers for you, Loki… I really do, but I don’t. I have no idea what I would have decided before Jor, before any of this. All I really know for sure… is I can’t walk away even with the world crumbling down around me. Jane is _dying_ , Loki! She’s dying and I’m here… with you… with Jor! I was supposed to be with Tara the day you came to New York, but I chose something else then too. I chose a more exciting vacation, because it was where I wanted to be. No one tells me what to do, and no one makes the choice for me. Despite everything, all the guilt I’ve felt when I lost Tara… I never regretted leaving with Jane. All I know is I’m right here! Right _here_! I’m right where I want to be… where I need to be. Can’t that be enough?” the last of her words was directed to them both… Loki and Jor. He could see her eyes shift to him.

There were no regrets. Jor was at a loss, astounded by her love for him after his failure to save her own friend. She’d forgiven Loki too, hadn’t she? Tara, the woman she’d cared about long before Jane, her death was a burden Loki bared, but she forgave him! Why?! Why would she forgive such dreadful sins? How could she look into their eyes and not see all the pain they’d both caused?

Finally, Loki turned around, following her gaze to Jor. His parents before they were his parents… so imperfect, he had never imagined how much. He knew then what he would have to do. Darcy Lewis, his mother, was a blessing. She’d lost so much, and yet she continued to love, continued to live, and continued to forgive. She was not selfish. She did not wallow in her despair… she pushed past it. Jor had been so certain he was incapable of good when he failed to save Jane Foster, but he’d been wrong. He’d been self-centered.

Jane Foster was not dead yet, and Jor was not finished. There was one hope remaining, one gift he might give to the two people who loved him most before he had even come into existence. They’d removed his bracelet after realizing his state of mind. He was grounded no more. He closed his eyes tight and searched the secret passages that would take him to his goal. He was gone in seconds, with her still body lying before him in an empty room. She was not dead. There was still hope. He would be selfish no longer. His decision was made. Jor would give his life for Jane’s.

*~*~*

“Jor!” Loki shouted, watching in the blink of an eye as his son disappeared from before him. He’d cast shadows over the path chosen, and Loki knew not where he intended to go. “We must locate him!” he urged Darcy, but her reply was cut off. The door to Jor’s chambers shattered violently, and sent them both against the opposite wall. He searched for where she had landed, off to the side, and completely unconscious. A sound stole his focus on the young mortal so dear to him now. In the smoke and haze a figure appeared from the damaged entrance, and Loki’s eyes widened as he saw the hammer off to Thor’s side. And so it would begin, Loki realized. The future was coming for them all….

To Be Continued


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The big part in italics is a flashback.

It is said that the only penance for a life taken is a life given. The Jotun’s believed this strongly, and during Jor’s time among them he learned both the darkness and light that lived in cold hearts. Her name was Angroboda, a Jotun of great magic unlike anything the young boy had ever seen, and unlike the others… she was more than willing to share her knowledge with such an obviously gifted pupil. While Loki was forced to find shelter with the very ones he’d once aimed to destroy, he was given the harsh burden of paying for his sins with a ritual few had ever attempted and survived. Indeed, it was almost a blessing if they did not.

A life for a life. Loki would become the ultimate sacrifice for all those destroyed in his attack. His blood represented the life of a soul, and his would be poured out for each life taken. Only those that fate deemed worthy survived, and although Jor had not been allowed to see the ritual, it was Angroboda who made him aware of where it had come from, because it was believed that in this blood… life taken could also be returned.

_The caves of Jotun was a place of sanctuary from the bitter cold, and although Loki’s cabin had a powerful fireplace, and the warmest furs, Jor found he preferred Angroboda’s dark cave best in the evenings when temperatures were at their worst. Her magic created both a warmth and a chill in his bones that held his curiosity. His parents were unaware of his disappearance, and they most certainly not have allowed him to be influenced by the manipulative Angroboda, though he felt confident he could see through the clouds she stirred in his mind._

_A knife caught his eye, very different from anything else he’d seen before. The blade had no tip, and was in fact dull and flat, with incredibly sharp sides, and a perforated middle. It would surely not do much good in battle, but Jor suspected it’s purpose was important still. He let his finger glide down one edge, careful not to cut his skin. The metal was surprisingly warm, almost burning him. It’s magic pulsed like that of a heartbeat._

_“It is called Jotnar,” said Angroboda with a knowing smile. “Careful that you do not shed blood against it’s edge.”_

_Jor turned to look back at the one he’d chosen as teacher in Jotun. Loki’s sensitivity with his own people was obviously. Only Angroboda seemed capable of balance. “Why? What does it do?”_

_“It saves… and it destroys. It contains the fire of Jotunheim.”_

_“The fire of Jotunheim… what use do you have with fire? You’re Frost Giants,” he pointed out, doubtful. Angroboda never liked to be called a Frost Giant. To them it was a term of disrespect, a racial slur. Her disapproving scowl humbled him immediately. “I mean… it’s just… you are of the cold, the winter… what use would you have for fire?”_

_Sometimes it bothered him, how Angroboda would stare, as if she could see all that lie before him… every struggle and every triumph. “It was wielded for a special purpose… a most important day in which death and rebirth would come upon us all. It is said that with such a blade one could give the ultimate sacrifice… there cannot be life without the other; just as we would not see the light if not for the darkness that surrounds.”_

_Jor quirked an eyebrow, staring back at the strange dagger that almost seemed to be staring right back. It recognized Jor, accepted him, and understood him, though such a thing was not possible in an inanimate object. Worse yet, the Jotnar called to him. Jor knew not how to answer. “How would one perform such a ritual?”_

_“That was the knife chosen to cut away the sins of your father, Jor. His blood would burn for all the lives lost. Most die almost immediately… your father was a stubborn one indeed, or strong at the very least.”_

_Watching his father helped back into their residence after his sacrifice had been haunting. Angroboda called him strong; he’d looked anything **but** as he leaned heavily on his witness’s shoulder, his wife. He’d rarely seen such a look of anger on his mother’s face, but there was acceptance too. Loki’s true form was revealed with his magic depleted, but his skin looked more white than blue, and his eyes a horrifying orange instead of red. He was sickly, bloody, and barely strong enough to speak. His mother had sent him away urgently, not wanting Loki’s condition seen by their young son, but the damage was done. All the boy could think about was his father’s natural form. Jor had yet to see whether similar features lie under the mask magic granted him. He dare not look._

_“You will need it.”_

_Jor stared back at Angroboda, confused. “I don’t understand….”_

_“Take it… it was meant for you, dear boy. It has been hung away in shadows far too long. When the time comes, you will know what to do.”_

_Angroboda stood from her stool, crossing the small room and pulled the knife from the wall to place in Jor’s hands. He held it with awe before sending it away so his parents would not discover that it was in his possession. “Thank you,” he whispered awkwardly._

_She shook her head. “It never belonged to me, Jor. It has always been waiting… and now it’s wait is finally over.”_

Jor summoned the dagger kept hidden so long, feeling it’s warmth against his palm. He would shed his blood as the eternal sacrifice, and Jane would be restored. The damaged cells would be replaced, bringing the curse upon him instead. Angroboda had taught him what to do. This was his only chance to save the future, and perhaps even his parent’s lives in the process. He stared down at Jane Foster’s sleeping form nervously, but determined, kneeling before her in respect. “My blood I do give to you, Lady Jane… that you may be reborn in my sacrifice,” he whispered, closing his eyes, unaware that he had finally retained his voice.

The dagger rose high, gripped by both hands. He would pierce his heart and the deed would be done. He took a deep breath, basked in his fears and his worries, holding onto this moment for as long as he could. One last second to breathe, he prepared himself… and then-

“No! Jor, don’t!”

Jor froze, disturbed from the ritual as another entered the small medical chamber. Like a ghost, he hailed from the future, Thor Odinson stood before him… his grotesque scar across the side of his face… and he was begging Jor to stop.

*~*~*

Frigga felt the sting of fate like being awakened from a nightmare. Chaos surrounded her, overwhelmed her, but it was organized chaos… for a purpose. The stage was set for a final stand, and it was her turn to do her part. Her husband was gone, and her sorrow was deep, but she knew she could not sit waiting for her own time. She was meant to take action, to ensure their future and protect it.

Her eyes wandered around the empty chambers she’d once shared with Odin. The man was a fool, a stubborn fool, but nothing he did was without purpose. Nothing anyone did was without purpose. What would be hers? She followed the path meant for her out of bed, to the doors, down the hall. She was running, hurrying, feeling the screams of her sons in desperate need. She could not close her heart to those needs… not even in her distress. She was coming. Frigga was coming.

*~*~*

“We don’t have much time. Thor is going to kill you if we don’t intervene,” urged his wife with all the wisdom of a goddess, and none of the immortality. Loki had learned in their years together how important her council could be, even when the choice would rest on his shoulders alone. If he was a god of lies, then she would have been goddess of truth.

“He must not know who we are. We must time it perfectly. You will help the other _us_ escape while I face my brother. My powers are strong enough to endure his rage for as long as you need.”

He could feel his wife’s hands slip into his own, knew it to be a sign of her everlasting worry. _“I’m a chick, Loki… what do you want from me?! We feel things!”_ she would say. His lips curled in a fond smile as he turned to gaze down at the woman he’d kept safe all these years… no, they kept each other safe. Was that not how marriage worked? Even with all Odin’s failures and mistakes, Frigga was ever the vigilant wife. Loki had never understood her loyalty until now. A true bonding of souls was to endure the evil and the good. It was an oath entangled in the flesh and blood… together till the end… only death could part them.

“I will return to you, my love. We both know I will not die this day. Fate has seen to my sins. I have made penance. Only this moment remains before our destiny is our own.”

Darcy rolled her eyes, still so much a product of her background. “I know… I know, but I swear I will end you if you even _think_ about leaving me.”

His eyebrow quirked upon hearing those words. “This from a woman who refuses to spend an eternity with me? Must I be the one to suffer, while you die in the peace of my embrace?” he questioned.

They’d argued the subject several times. She would remain with him till death, but never longer than that. “Idun’s going to regrow the apples, isn’t she? New Asgard, new future… rebirth in every way, right?”

Loki nodded, though not quite certain where she was going with her words. “Indeed.”

Darcy squeezed his hand, a faint smile on her lips. “Then I guess we’ll just have to see what I decide when you get back.”

Manipulation was his skill, though she was certainly just as adept. Though his heart soared, he knew exactly what she was doing. If he returned… he might see her live, but only if he came back to her whole. He pulled her into a heavy kiss with the strength of such a promise, his blood burning for her, his mind so full of ideas he’d never considered before. Darcy had been holding onto her world with one hand for as long as he’d known her. Even with all the love and devotion between them, she kept fast to her mortality as a link to her realm and her family. To take on eternity would be giving everything up, casting off her connections with Midgard and holding fast to a future by his side. Everyone she’d ever known would die until there was no one left to return to. He kissed her to remind her that he would provide something better, that he would replace what she’d lose with such a sacrifice. He kissed her as thanks. He kissed her as assurance. He was her husband, and he would always be so.

“Thor will not defeat me this day, Darcy. I rarely would dare making such a promise unless it could be kept.”

She smiled, licking her lips. “Then we’d better go….”

*~*~*

Thor knew not what he was to face when sent back for his nephew. Seeing the son of Loki preparing himself for sacrifice at Jane’s side had certainly not been it. He spoke before the boy could take action, before he even had time to dwell on what he could possibly be doing. “Are you mad?!” he growled, reaching for the knife.

Jor pulled away, scrambling to his feet. He hesitated for a moment, eyes wide, licked his lips, and began to speak. “I am doing what needs to be done for our future! I am saving Jane Foster’s life! Is that not what you wanted?!”

Jane Foster’s body lie still in the medical bed, but breathing. He’d travelled to the time before her death. Idun’s warnings returned to him full force, though he still knew not what to make of them. “How is that even possible? The curse is upon her… she will die.”

His nephew shook his head, holding tight to his strange knife. “There is a magic more powerful than any curse… the fires of Jotunheim are in my possession! One sacrifice… that’s all that is needed! Like a transfusion of our life force… I willingly give myself to carry the curse while she will be restored! Allow me this, son of Odin… allow me to change our fates! I failed to protect her from the curse, but I can’t fail at this as well! This will make everything better!”

His emotions roared with selfish desires too wicked to be thought of. Allowing Jor to die would be unforgivable, especially with all that was in store for Asgard! He would be preventing the rebirth of his people, their only hope for a peaceful existence, and a chance of rising even higher than Thor could ever take them. No… Jor would not die this day, but Thor could. Was that the choice? Her life or his? One way or another he would pay for his sins, but it was his choice… ruin or death? “What if I were to make the sacrifice?”

Jor frowned, glancing over at Jane. “Asgard still needs you-”

“I am of no use to them now,” Thor insisted.

The boy’s eyes flashed with frustration. “You are the king! You’re people suffer, and you would dare abandon them now?!”

The words struck him like the blow of a sword. Was this selfish too? To die for Jane would save her life, but what would he be leaving behind? Sif? The warriors three? An entire realm in despair with so many dead? Could he in good conscious make such a sacrifice when there was so much to be done? Death or ruin… this was his choice, his only choice. He knew not how to choose.

Thor’s eyes wandered to Jane, reaching out for her. His love. His biggest mistake. Was fate truly going to force him to live with this? Could fate really be so cruel? Or perhaps… perhaps he was wrong. Perhaps fate had nothing to do with this, but everything to do with how Thor would be punished for this overstep. Ruin or death. _Ruin or death?_ He turned back to the boy, eyeing the knife wearily. “If I am to face ruin… I will not face it alone. You must come back with me, Jor. My people need you. We will rise from the ashes… but only you have the powers to make us grow.”

Jor’s eyes widened with understanding, but he turned to Jane anyway. “What of Jane?”

Thor shook his head. “She is already dead….”

To Be Continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jeez! It's sooooo close to the end now, guys! I am so sorry to anyone who thought Jane was gonna survive. I do care about her, truly I do, but the story made demands, and apparently I'm just supposed to do what it says now.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry I couldn't post this yesterday, but a 12 hour shift is brutal, and I didn't have the time. There's only a small bit left to write, one or two more chapters at best! *gasp*

Loki was barely holding his own, as Thor’s rage pelted against him like thick stones with each swing of the hammer. There was no time to think, no time to strategize. He could only evade, just barely avoiding the crushing death that would await him if he moved too slowly. He was fighting against a raging bull, and the sheer force of power was exhausting. Loki’s weapons were limited. Knives were like the sting of a bumble bee, slowing Thor down, but doing little else. Loki’s doubles made for a pitiful distraction, and Thor wasn’t the dull-headed lout he used to be. He was catching on quickly for once.

“I am not responsible for your Jane’s curse, Thor! You _must_ believe me!” He knew his words would fall on deaf ears when his brother fought even harder. Hadn’t Jor warned them from the very start that this would happen? Thor refused to be swayed or deterred. Right and left, hammer swinging, Loki grunted as it connected against his back enough to send him to the floor. A quick roll and he was on his feet once again. He would not be able to endure this long.

“You are a liar! The scales have fallen from my eyes, son of Laufey!” Thor screamed coldly.

Loki swallowed the sting in stride, realizing he’d said far worse to Thor in the past. How the tables had turned! It was like staring into a carnival mirror… twisted and misshapen, but he saw well enough to know it was his reflection. His own jealousy had driven him to hate the very person fighting against him now. Thor’s rage had turned him mad just as Loki was regaining his sanity.

Darcy still lie unconscious nearby, and the god of mischief was certain she would be trampled in Thor’s clumsy frenzy if Loki didn’t think of something. “Stop this, Thor! There are innocents about!” he screamed as he dodged another brutal attack, and just barely managed to avoid a kick to his stomach.

“Innocent like Jane?! You use her friend just as you used me! If anything, I protect her from your devices!” said Thor as Loki cursed his pitiable defense. He would withstand no more of this. Thor was out of control, and he needed to be stopped, but Loki had nothing in which to stop him. In madness, Thor would surely kill them both, leaving the future splintered and broken.

Loki wasn’t exactly prepared to dodge Thor’s entire body as he was jolted forward suddenly, however his quick step aside saved him from crashing with Thor into the chamber beside Jor’s, and debris filled the air while rock and stone collapsed into both rooms. He’d certainly not been the one to deliver the blow, but when he finally looked up he found _himself_ standing before him… a self that Loki did not conjure.

The other Loki’s smile was less than enthusiastic. “You should go… I can handle Thor from here.”

It took only seconds for Loki to connect dots, but the details were unknown to him. His, was a highly intelligent mind, but his theories meant nothing without real information to back them up. “Jor said you were dead… you and Darcy.”

“I was… however Eir is a skilled healer… and I wasn’t finished yet. I’m here to buy you time to escape.”

“And Darcy?”

Loki inclined his head towards the corner where _his_ Darcy had fallen unconscious. Another woman had crouched beside her, surveying for injury, a slight grey in her hair, though still as beautiful as ever before. It was Darcy… a Darcy Lewis from the future. “She is surprisingly well, however time is short and there’s little time for that story. I’ll leave my wife to fill you in on the details, now hurry, you haven’t much time!” Thor groaned, dust slipping off the sides of his back in the other chamber. Loki rushed to the two Darcys, gathering the one unconscious in unsteady hands. “You must leave _now_ before Thor kills us both!”

Loki turned back to his older self. “And what of you?”

“Unlike some people, I came prepared,” the future trickster assured him.

The older Darcy rolled her eyes, and turning to Loki, demanding attention. “Follow me.”

He nodded in agreement, glancing back at the other Loki… his future and Jor’s father. “Perhaps it’s a bit self-centered… but try not to get yourself killed,” he threw over his shoulder on the way out.

“I think I’ve done enough dying for a while,” his future self replied just as Thor stepped through the broken wall unsteadily. “Now come brother… let’s dance, you and I!”

*~*~*

“… then you’ve been waiting for this day?”

Darcy’s hair slipped down her shoulder as she nodded, rushing down the hallway with cautious eyes, leading him to a private room where they could speak. “It happened to you just like it happened to us. Jor came back in time, emotionally unstable after watching his parents die, and trying so hard to change the future for the better. He had no idea his presence was key in causing the very future he was trying to prevent.”

“Why put your own son through all this?!” Loki questioned, trying to keep the disgust from his voice. “Why not tell him the truth?!”

Darcy paused, turning back to Loki. “I’m getting this from _you_ of all people, oh god of lies? You think we had a choice? Time doesn’t work that way, Loki. You don’t just get to decide how you want things to be. We did what we could, but when the time came… all bets were off. We learned long ago not to play games with our own destinies. You lose every freaking time!” Her arm shot out and she pushed Loki into the wall signaling that he remain quite. Voices were drawing near, and Loki could feel the weight of his own Darcy Lewis in his arms. He held her impossibly close. She continued to speak in a low whisper. “We’d be preventing his own existence if he didn’t go back. He _had_ to go back because he _already_ went back. I know, it’s a bit confusing. I’m not a scientist. The fact is, we couldn’t take the chance that we’d wipe Jor from existence by protecting him from this.”

Time was, indeed, a tricky thing. Still, he was confused by Darcy’s part in all this. “And where are we to go? Thor will surely hunt me down in all the nine realms,” he pointed out.

“You hide… like we did. It won’t be easy, and I can almost guarantee it’ll be even harder when you have Jor, but it’s the only way. I have coordinates that should help for a brief time.”

Loki’s mind was in a whirlwind. In his arguing with his Darcy about love, he’d always assumed they’d have time; that the future was far off. Then it all came crashing down… Odin… Jane Foster… fighting for his life. The future was happening, and he wasn’t ready for it. “You ask me to _hide_? Have I not spent enough time in the shadows?!”

“This isn’t about you, Loki! You’ve got to think about your son… the child you were just given the chance to know! Jor’s counting on you!”

“Jor hasn’t even been born yet!” Loki countered. Though he held his Darcy with a tight grip, his anxieties over the future overwhelmed him. He wasn’t prepared to make such a sacrifice so soon. He wasn’t prepared to hide like prey… like the bugs he’d once tried to crush under his boot.

Darcy peeked out into the hallway before focusing her attention on Loki. “Look, I know… it’s not what you planned for. What use does a god have with a family? Right? You’re the badass who tried to take over the world… not father of the year! Trust me, I had just as many doubts. I was just as scared as you are now.” Loki opened his mouth to speak but was silenced by her warning glare. “I swear to god, Loki! Don’t give me that shit that you aren’t scared, because I know you are! I wish I could tell you it’s gonna work out. I really wish I could tell you that we knew exactly what we were doing, but I can’t! Fate only works out the big stuff… it’s you who decides to take the baby steps, but trust me… you do not want to walk away. I can’t tell you what you feel, but I can tell you what the woman in your arms feels.”

His eyes widened as the tears collected in her eyes.

“She’s about to lose someone she cares about and you’re the only one who understands what that’s like. She trusts you and she doesn’t know why. Darcy isn’t brave, she doesn’t have powers, and she isn’t built for a life on the run… but she’ll follow you to hell and back. You’ll make her brave and strong, and a mother to the most amazing son! Jor is worth it, I’m worth it! So shut up and deal, okay? Because I never could have gotten through those years without you, and I’m not about to let you screw up the best thing that ever happened to me!”

Loki’s eyes drifted to the Darcy Lewis in his arms. She felt lighter with each passing moment. Perhaps she was a burden he could bare… he would bare, it seemed. It astonished him (she astonished him)… a Midgardian woman who could best the god of mischief. Was not his future already sealed? Did he dare betray his fate now? Did he dare turn back? He would have thee as his wife, but not because of fate. The woman standing before him and the woman in his arms were one in the same, and despite his best intentions, he knew he could do no better. “You always have to have the last word, don’t you?” he grumbled half-heartedly.

Darcy smiled. “Yup, get used to it.”

*~*~*

Thor gripped Jane’s hand in his final goodbye to the woman he’d so obviously loved. This was still the man that had hurt everyone Jor ever cared for. His sorrow was for Jane, but in those seconds all he could think about was his father, a person Thor had taken from _him_. “I wasn’t going to do this for you,” Jor whispered, ripping off Tony Stark’s tech. His voice had returned, weakened by lack of exercise, but it was his… whole and full of feeling. His heart swelled with the relief of his own words.

Thor turned, letting his good eye rest on Jor. “You were trying to protect those you love, but there is no need to do so. Fate favors you, nephew.”

“You dare call me nephew after what you have done?” Jor took a step back, wondering what had brought him here. He’d stopped the boy from taking his own life, but for what purpose? What was his intention? Did he plan to use Jor somehow? There had to be a reason why he’d suddenly become valuable.

Thor shook his head. “You are blinded by grief-”

“Perhaps it’s a family trait!” Jor snapped back angrily.

Finally Thor turned to face him, but he surprised Jor by kneeling, a simple gesture… so much meaning behind those actions. They were equals now, face to face, eye to eye, and Jor didn’t know what to make of it. “Your family lives, Jor. Eir revived Loki, and Darcy Lewis was a trick… shadows and magic. Their deaths were meant to deceive.”

“My parents would never put me through that!” Jor couldn’t believe the word of Thor Odinson, not in a million years after all he’d seen.

Thor reached out to grab Jor’s shoulders, forcing the boy to stay put. “I do not lie! Their intention was not to hurt you, Jor. It was me who they mislead, and there was no way to set their trick straight before your journey.”

“My journey? They knew I was to come here?” Jor asked, not surprised, but curious what Thor knew of their plans for him. Had he been meant to save Jane… or was he sent for another purpose?

“You have fulfilled your duty and made them both proud.” Thor paused for a moment and looked away. “Loki is truly blessed to have a son such as you.”

Jor had once heard stories about why Thor had no heir. That his line was meant to be cut down, that he would be the last of the old generation. There was jealousy in those expressive eyes, and so much remorse. Jor slipped from his grip and turned Thor’s face to see his work, and the scars from battles long before him. “Will you return me… to my parents?” he questioned.

Thor nodded. “Aye, it’s why I came.”

“And they live?” He had to be sure. His magic reached into Thor, searchingly. He would detect dishonesty, if Thor even dared. The god of thunder didn’t fight it, opened himself to it willingly, holding Jor’s gaze.

“Jor… your parents live.”

Jor’s smile was wide with relief, his hand dropping from Thor’s face. “Take me then, but I swear if your plans are unseemly I will dispatch you,” he warned.

Thor quirked an eyebrow in surprise. “Strong words for a mere child.”

He had his mother’s bravery, developed over time among giants and gods. “Try me….”

*~*~*

This fight was a dance Loki finally knew the steps to. He could anticipate every blow, every move. Thor used his weight like a boulder, but Loki was water… and simply could not be stopped. Frigga could feel the shift in the winds, a season of change. In her mind’s eye she could see the battle that raged, knew it’s significance, and it’s purpose. She could also see her _own_ purpose with such clarity it almost blinded her. She gathered her strength with each passing moment, rushing to assist her family the best way she knew how.

She was nearing Jor’s chambers, and she collecting her strength, gathered together with intent. She felt it sway like a gust or breeze. The storms gathered inside, and she summoned it’s power, whispered to Odin for strength. Loki would dance for as long as he need to, but she knew he waited for her. She was his deliverance. So she rounded the corner without slowing and slipped through the broken opening that lead to Jor’s quarters. Just as in her dreams they fought. Loki held on with grace. Thor fueled his anger; let it seep into his bones, throwing around his power at random. Her sons… forever feuding. She could only hope one day it would come to an end.

With everything she had, Frigga send the gust towards her eldest son, dropping him in an instant as sleep overcame his mind and heart. Loki’s eyes lifted to see her standing, and his smile was welcoming and bright. If this was to be her son’s future… she would surely welcome it with open arms. “You must go… I will handle my son,” she assured him.

Loki bowed in respect, his hair askew and falling into his eyes. He’d cut it at some point, just barely touching his shoulders. “I grieve with thee, mother,” he whispered softly, stepping over Thor. “Even then… I always grieved.”

His words were like a soothing balm to her troubled heart. “I know you do, Loki.”

Loki glanced back at his sleeping brother with sad eyes. “I do not always claim Thor as brother… and I do not always accept Odin as father.” He turned to hold her gaze, moving toward her with great care. “However… you… I would never reject,” he assured her, kissing her forehead with all the love he possessed. “Goodbye, mother.” It would be the last time he would see her alive… and perhaps the last time she’d see him as well. She pulled him into a strong hug before he could escape.

“Take care, my son.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this chapter doesn't feel too rushed. I tried my best to draw it out, but I hate writing fight scenes, I'm total crap at it! lol


	20. Chapter 20

She could hear the sound of water off in the distance, and the heat of warm rays against her face. Her fingers reached out, tickled by blades of grass. The last thing she remembered was… yelling, lots of yelling. She was angry… no, not angry… really confused. Something went down. Jor disappeared. Loki screaming… oh god! “Thor!” she shouted, bolting up, only to feel a hand press her back down into the ground urgently. Her eyes darted to the owner to see Loki’s face. He wouldn’t catch her gaze, was too busy letting his hand drift over her forehead, eyebrows wrinkled in worry. “Mortals are so easily broken. You have a head injury,” he informed her.

“Hello to you too,” she replied with a pointed glare. “What happened?” She wasn’t sure what Loki was doing, but he seemed to be concentrating rather hard on it. His eyes were so focused on her forehead she might have wondered if he was trying to melt her brain for his own evil amusement. She felt the pounding in her head, like a heartbeat, but the pain was receding. Was he healing her somehow? She hadn’t realized he could do something like that. She let her eyes drift closed for a moment as the sun blurred her vision. They were outside. She was lying in a field of some sort… with Loki. He’d taken her out of the palace? Were they even on Asgard? “The last thing I remember was Thor kicking you on your ass.”

Loki paused, his fingertips pressed against her temple. “I believe it was _you_ lying crumpled in a corner on your backside… I was too busy fighting for survival.”

“Jor disappeared,” she reminded him, a twinge of concern surging into her system.

“Safely returned to his rightful parents… sent forward in time where he belongs. We are without responsibility once more.”

“Comforting,” she muttered, cracking an eye open as she struggled to sit up nice and slow this time. She felt a bit dizzy, though nothing was exactly spinning… just really… off. The ground was moving around her, and she was pretty sure it was all in her head… her very bruised head. “What about Thor?”

“Uncertain. I was forced to flee… with the help of Darcy Lewis from the future. The grey suited you rather nicely.”

“I thought I was dead?” she questioned, wondering if his crazy tale would bring the vertigo back full force. She really hated trying to figure out the whole time travel thing.

“Apparently a ruse to protect you. I was given coordinates that sent me here through the bifrost. We are officially… runaways.” His eyes darkened as if the very word made him angry. She didn’t really like the implication either. “If I had known we were simply being sent to Alfheim, I would have resisted. The light elves are a peaceful people, but Frey has never been a fan of mine.”

“Is anyone a fan of yours?” Darcy replied with a sigh, rubbing at her head to ease the ache. Loki’s hand ghosted over her face once again, and her pain faded once more. She leaned into his touch for necessity, blushing like crazy when she realized how comforting it was having him around.

“Not really, no… especially seeing that my son has not been born yet.”

Her mind drifted to Asgard. She’d left it all behind… Jane was dying, Thor plotting to kill Loki, her son sent to the future… everyone taken in an instant. She’d been dropped on a planet she knew nothing about with the god of friggin’ _mischief_ and she had no idea how she was supposed to react. She felt numb, far too tired to think clearly, but her chest was tight. She was pretty sure it would hit her when she least expected it, and she’d be sobbing like a child in Loki’s arms… because he was all she had. Could she even get back to Earth? Would Thor be hunting her as he was Loki now?

“Darcy? You have been injured… you must tell me if you are suffering and where or I cannot help you.”

Darcy blinked several times, and licked dry lips. Physically she was well enough except for the headache, but her emotional condition was certainly less than stellar. “Jane’s going to die, isn’t she? This is it… everything Jor told us… it happens now.”

When she dared look into Loki’s eyes there was so much reservation and reluctance. He was supposed to be a god, but he was just as uncertain about their future and how they’d survive it with the King of Asgard on their tail. “I had no choice but to take you with me, Darcy. I… know you have many doubts about us.”

Doubts… right. She should have doubts, shouldn’t she? But here she was. No turning back now. A life on the run. She couldn’t abandon Loki to this life, especially not with Jor’s existence hanging in the balance. There was no room for playing the ‘what if’ game when she’d already rolled the dice. “How long can we stay here before Thor comes looking?”

Loki moved over to sit beside her instead of in front, pulling her against him so she could rest easy. Sitting up took effort and energy she simply didn’t possess. “Darcy… the future Darcy, said we remain her until just before Jor’s birth. Eventually I will discover certain pathways that allow me to travel between here and Jotunheim… and another leading to Midgard, although I’m instructed never to use it except for emergencies… and to contact no one but Stark. Why are you not more upset?”

“Oh trust me, I will be… too tired for a break down right now.”

“Long periods of rest would be dangerous in your current condition, however I am told to wait here. We will be discovered soon by those willing to help. Apparently, they will be quite fond of you.”

“What’s not to like?”

Loki’s finger moved to tip her head up, forcing her to look at him. “We will not be allowed alone together unless we marry.”

Darcy frowned. “What kind of backwards place is this?”

“It is not backwards… it is their culture. The light elves believe in purity in all respects… I must admit… their morals have always been a bit dull. I once tried to court a light elf. By the end I’d managed to just barely avoid an execution at Frey’s hand. My only comfort came from knowing Frandral was banned from the realm for sixty years. I never quite figure out what he did to deserve that punishment.”

She’d never expected to be fond of stories Loki chose to share with her about his past before the mental breakdown and world conquering. It put a lot about Thor and Loki’s relationship in perspective when she realized they’d only glimpsed the really dark times in his life… all the ugly stuff. It was no wonder Thor had been impossibly hopeful for the younger brother he’d shared so many insane adventures with. She would have liked to know Loki back then herself, she had to admit. “So… we either get married, rarely talk to each other again, or get kicked off the planet… that’s our options?”

Loki let out a long suffering sigh. “Does your world not have those involved in arranged marriage? Would this be so different?”

“It’s sort of frowned upon in society. Well, honestly I think the women do most of the frowning… either way, I’ve known you all of a few weeks at best… give or take the time you spent on Earth trying to _rule_ us.”

Loki was getting better at ignoring her guilt trips. His eyes were dark and he was staring at her as if he could see right through her. His lips brushed against her ear playfully, and she suppressed a shiver. “And yet… you were quite eager for more than kisses, as I recall, back on Midgard. Have you ever experienced the passion of a _god_ , Darcy Lewis?”

“This is not how you propose to someone… marry me and I’ll rock your world with sex?!” Her world was spinning for whole new reasons now, and she had to close her eyes to keep any kind of focus.

“Certainly original, though. I’m not sure we’ll be doing anything in the correct order considering we met each other through our future _son_.”

He had a point, though Darcy wasn’t exactly pleased with the idea. “Fine, but I want a ring… a big one with diamonds. I deserve pretty things.”

Loki scoffed. “Diamonds? How uninspired! The gems of the light elves are far more valuable than your Midgardian rocks.”

Darcy let out a low groan, already wondering if it was too late to catch the next flight back to Asgard. She’d take a quick death from Thor over Loki’s crap any day….

*~*~*

It wasn’t until late that evening that the full extent of their exile hit Darcy Lewis. A family of light elves who’d Loki briefly met years ago had agreed to take him and Darcy in until accommodations for himself and his fiancé could be made. He’d felt her agony like the pull of the wind against a ship’s sail. Though discovery was low, Loki was careful to leave a duplicate in his own bed before searching Darcy out. He held her the entire night as she cried. He did not speak. He did not make a promise for a better tomorrow. He simply held her in his arms as if to shield her from the crushing impact of their life on the run.

By the forth night holding onto her, Loki knew it must be love sneaking under his skin so easily. Never in his life had someone else’s pain impacted him so powerfully. He wanted to give her so much more than he could. This wasn’t the life she’d wanted. It wasn’t the life he’d expected either. They were trapped on a path fate had laid out for them, and each step was tormenting them both. There were so many uncertainties ahead, with only Jor to keep them dreaming for something better. Eventually, Darcy would sleep in his arms. He never had the heart to leave her until morning. They were married late in the afternoon, and Loki swore he would never be forced to leave her side again.

Loki kissed her lips as if he wished to meld them together as one. He touched her body as if touching something holy and pure. The force of fate vibrated between them with support, sending a charge that had them both gasping and in shock. Her skin was like velvet, molding to his grip, so warm in his hands. He explored her for the first time as husband with great care. Each line, each curve, each dip… paying special attention to freckles and scars.

She whispered his name as if in prayer, encouraging… so vocal, he should have guessed. She couldn’t seem to be stilled. She especially enjoyed roughly tugging at his hair, scratching at his impenetrable skin, and nibbling on his lip whenever he dared laugh at her enthusiasm. The foreplay was full of teasing and challenge. Neither was willing to back down. Neither was capable of pressing on for very long without risk of falling into the abyss.

Their fever reached a powerful climax, screams and cries… panting and sweat. She clung to him, and he reveled in her. Neither seemed capable of caring that the bed was soaked with their passions. For tonight they were one flesh… in ceremony and with the physical act itself. It mattered not that their feelings were uncertain and barely discovered. Love would develop in time, with a family soon to follow as they continued to take pleasure in each other in the months and years to come. Loki had believed being on the run would feel like being thrust into shadow, but just the opposite had occurred. Even in hiding, he was more exposed than ever before. Darcy could see him just fine, and that was more than enough.

*~*~*

_Some Time In The Distant Future_

There was something extraordinary about watching Jor Lokison rushing back into the waiting arms of his family. Darcy Lewis was kissing his face, happy tears falling from her eyes. Loki yanked the boy up and held him tight, laughing all the while. A family reunited, and suddenly the universe made sense again… even after such a brutal conflict with so many dead. Sif felt the tug of a smile as she watched from afar, while Thor moved to join her side. His eyes remained fixed on his brother’s family. They stood with only a few inches separating them, but it felt like miles. Her husband… it was more of a title, and so empty of meaning.

“I have been unfair to you,” Thor finally spoke.

Sif had been waiting for him to speak, but his words were not what she’d anticipated. “Your heart belongs to Jane. I knew this from the start.”

“You have been nothing… if not loyal to me.”

He couldn’t even begin to comprehend, even after so many years, why she remained with him. Perhaps he would never fully understand. Sif had a warrior’s heart. She fought for what she wanted. She fought for what she believed in. She’d believed in Thor once… and perhaps even now. “Loyalty had nothing to do with choice, Thor… as you well know.”

Thor shook his head, dropping his gaze from the family still embracing and deep in discussion about their journeys while split apart. “I still ache for Jane even now, but that ache has only brought pain and ruin. It was not meant to be… I see that now. Perhaps if I had been as _wise_ as Loki… I would have avoided this torment.”

“We cannot choose who we love, Thor,” she whispered with such softness in her voice, as if her will for words were failing her. She did not even carry the strength for something as simple as speech. The memory of Jane Foster haunted them both for separate reasons.

“I believe we can,” Thor insisted. “We turn love into a mystery unsolved. It becomes a myth no different than the stories told by Midgardians about us… twisted and rough. You think me blind to you, Sif… you are wrong. There was a time before Jane when I wondered. I wondered so many things.”

“And now?” she pressed, though she kept her tone unhurried and cold.

“What has been ruined must be rebuilt… if you’re willing. I deserve none of your kindness, Lady Sif. I only ask that you give me the chance to heal… and perhaps one day I will be the man you admired again.”

Sif swallowed hard, fighting even now, an internal struggle between mind and soul. Her hand slipped purposefully into his. “Husband… you have behaved as a fool, however… I think it best I assist you in this healing process. For the good of Asgard, of course.”

Thor cracked a faint smile. “Indeed wife, for the good of Asgard.”

To Be Continued In The Epilogue…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I cannot believe this story is almost over. Do you have any idea how excited I am?! I just hope you guys like my ending....


	21. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, so this is the end... can't quite believe it's over! I just hope you're satisfied with my ending. I've left one last twist for you all! ;-)

_Some Time In The Distant Future (Twelve Years After Ragnarök)_

Jörmungandr Lokison curved through the sea at speeds beyond even the god’s ability to match. The chill of the waters refreshed his soul after hours of meditation with Idun to control his emotional instabilities… but nothing worked better than a good swim. He thrived in water. It was a part of him. He longed for it as his greatest love. Muscles tensed and contracted as he slipped under. It was often said the son of Loki did not need air when in water… that hidden away were gills like that of a fish. He found those stories rather amusing. He enjoyed their whispers of wonder and curiosity, as so little was known about him.

While Thor continued to help all of Asgard rebuild, it was Jor and Idun that took the lead in bringing about the change. The fires of Jotun turned to dust the decay and rubble, a fine fertilizer for the new growth that had sprung up. The responsibility was tiring, but swimming was his best way to rejuvenate when the magic inside him was exhausted. Finding the time for such swims had become increasingly impossible. As it was, no one quite knew where the young man had gone. He preferred it that way. His entire life spent in hiding, and suddenly he’d been expected to greet the spotlight with open arms? That was not his way. Jor cared very little about power and privilege. He was nothing more than a sea serpent born to a cave in Jotunheim.

Jor gasped in shock as large hands yanked him out of the water mid-swim. He wasn’t surprised to see Thor staring back, one of the few capable of catching him at such speeds with the use of his very best vessel. He took a moment to catch his breath, smiling awkwardly with Thor’s fingers still wrapped around his curls, pulling at his scalp. “Uncle Thor… pleasant day we’re having, yes?”

Thor almost growled as he pulled him up from the water with little effort, and dropped him down into the small ship. To his left sat Sif smiling with amusement. He smiled back widely, wiping the salt water from his face to see. Thor was not quite so amused. “Coronation was today… _your_ coronation. I find it difficult to believe you would forget.”

No, he had not forgotten. Thor had no heir, and had decided long ago that his rightful place was not as the king. He was a warrior, not a leader. Jor’s mother and father had built themselves a peaceful cabin near a lake in the mountains of Idavoll. Frequently, Loki would take his wife through the bifrost on adventures in realms even beyond the nine they were aware of. Jörmungandr Lokison was fated to rule this new Asgard with the guidance of Idun herself. No one had ever bothered to ask the young man if he wanted such a task… or felt capable of leading the Aesir… he wasn’t even _one of them_. “It must have slipped my mind. Probably not the sort of problems a future king should have.”

“Jor, Asgard needs you this day,” Sif calmly told him with all the patience she possessed. Considering she still bonded herself to Thor… it was quite possible her patience had no end.

His shorts clung to him, soaking wet, but the sun was already drying his skin. He ached to return to the sea once more. It was frustrating at the best of times… having others decide his fate, while he was forced to submit to their manipulations. His newly birthed brother, Fen had no such issues to contend with… then again, such a thing would be difficult when he was barely knowledgeable enough to walk on his own. “Is that it then? I have no say once more? I am thrown about by currents and waves with no control of where fate decides I drift off to? Born into hiding, sent scrambling through time… you speak of duty and honor… I know not of these things.”

“That is exactly why you were chosen, Jor. The old ways do not fit this world. What use is a warrior in a time of everlasting peace?” urged Thor.

The young boy’s frown deepened. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t heard it all before. He’d spent so much time in the palace… he missed nights with his family, missed interaction with the cultures beyond Asgard that had taught him so much… the light elves, Angrboða… not to mention the aging Tony Stark (though his mind remained sharp and full of youth). “I will do nothing without first consulting my parents,” Jor insisted, ignoring the doubts and fears that screamed from the pit of his stomach. He was not ready… he was not a king. How did they expect him to rule?! He could just barely keep his sanity in check!

*~*~*

To visit the home of the god of mischief in the dead of night was a dangerous endeavor even for the son of Loki. His father had many enemies, some more dangerous than others, but none quite as dangerous as those still living in Asgard. Jor would never risk it unless desperate; at least in the sun it was easier to see Loki’s tricks… and yes, there were always tricks. Not even the goddess, Darcy Lewis, could tame him completely. In fact, Jor was quite certain she’d encouraged his insistence to protect the family.

Warriors of Asgard were taught not to fear. They were bred for the terrors of battle and those still living had suffered the end of all such battles twelve years earlier. There was only one way to deal with an Asgardian that was so immune to horror. Loki had a gift to see the pure heart of a man, and twist it into something black. Jor had already experienced his skills first-hand as a child. It may have been Idun’s magic, but it was Loki’s mind. Jor watched his mother burned to death, and it had changed him. It changed the very essence of his mind. With his throat closed off to him, he was forced to see the world in silence. Slow to speech and quick to listen… and he’d learned so much. There was a time he would have trusted his father with everything, but that was before. Jor didn’t trust his father with everything anymore… only the important things. Jörmungandr Lokison trusted only himself with everything else.

He walked past the shadows of his past… dead bodies of his grandmother Frigga, his parents, everyone he ever cared about. He kept his eyes ahead, felt his throat close up on him just as when he was a child. He knew by the time he reached his parent’s he’d retain the ability to speak once again. The last time he’d been to visit was nearly two years ago. His training, as it was decided, would take place in the palace under Idun. Work rebuilding Asgard, not to it’s former glory, but something far better was nearly completed. Thor had made an oath. When the work was done… so was he. Jor had never been desperate enough to travel the meadows of Loki unannounced until now.

His ears were ringing. The air was thin and cold. Loki’s methods were cruel, indeed. Tony Stark’s eyes… empty of life, Pepper screaming for him. She was begging Stark to wake up. The ringing drowned her out, but just barely. Jor felt a tear run down his cheek, but he ignored it. There was a gift he’d learned from Idun, something magical… certainly, but even humans could access it if they wished, though they rarely used it wisely. He cut off his heart from the rest of him. He stopped feeling entirely. Numb, completely and totally numb. It gave him just enough peace to continue on.

The humble home was just ahead, and even as his worst nightmares were made real, Jor continued to walk. He reached the door, but his hands were shaking. Nightmares would come later. The beloved dead were calling to him, even Jane, begging him to listen to their screams. All he could hear was the ringing… constant ringing, his saving grace. Even with his heart protected, it was already bleeding. He hadn’t shut down fast enough. He slammed his fist against the door so desperately, over and over again. He was sinking, breaking, he wouldn’t be capable of enduring much more.

He wanted to shout, but no sound emerged. He banged at the door almost till it cracked. Like the switch of a light it all melted from around him as the door swung open and he saw his father’s wide eyes. The ringing stopped, a deafening silence to take it’s place inside Jor’s injured mind. It was only then that he realized he’d dropped to the ground, shaking, but he could manage only one word. “Father….”

Loki pulled him inside, yanking him to his feet. “Jor… for heaven’s sake! You could have called first!”

*~*~*

It was never a good sign when Loki was staring. The tea in Jor’s hands soothed him. It was ancient and bitter like the teas of Jotun on the coldest days… a spicy tang, and a strange chill that wasn’t expected from steaming hot tea. It reminded him of better days. He liked reminders. They kept him grounded. Living on Asgard was an adjustment. He’d been born hiding from the sun, not basking in it. He liked snow and water. He thrived in the chill, in the damp… like the sea serpent legend made him out to be. Ironic really… born of Loki, so he’d have to be a snake.

“What you did was dangerous. You should have sent word… contacted me first,” his father scolded. Jor found it ironic that Loki would want to protect him from tricks when his entire life had been the biggest bit of mischief ever seen. It was a part of them both, why hide from that? Why was it wrong to face the darkness… let it eat at him? Jor didn’t mind testing his own limits… even the mental ones. In a life of magic and shadow… it was good to know he could still be broken when everyone around him was so insistent he become invincible. Jor never claimed to be a god like his father. He was a sea serpent… monster of the deep. The only way to kill _him_ was to cut off the head.

“I needed to speak with you, urgently… and you weren’t answering your phone,” he replied.

“Since when have we had phones in Asgard. I’m pretty sure Verizon doesn’t have anything on Asgard… imagine the roaming charges,” said his mother, entering their living room with folded arms. Never a good sign… when she folded her arms.

Loki rolled his eyes, pulling out a device very similar to a phone on Midgard. “You think I wouldn’t want to stay in constant contact with my first born?”

Darcy’s eyes narrowed. “Tony….”

Jor cleared his throat, finishing the rest of his tea and setting it aside. “The work is almost complete. Thor is anxious to retire from his station,” he told them, getting to the point. He didn’t like to waste time unless he had the time to waste.

His father’s eyes seemed to darken almost immediately, all business. Even now Loki would always resent his brother, but his love for Thor was obvious. Such a paradox, Jor’s family; nothing was ever allowed to be simple. Nothing was ever what it seemed. “Your coronation… was it today?”

So then he had known? Jor wasn’t surprised. Power was Loki’s drug of choice. The only chance he had to hold fast to his sanity was to go cold turkey. He would never have come to coronation. Too much temptation. “I didn’t go through with it. Took a swim instead.”

“You want?!” Darcy exclaimed. “You can’t be serious! Twelve years of training and you decide to go for a swim?!” Loki rested a hand on his wife’s shoulder and she immediately went silent, biting her lip, and shaking her head. “You’re right… you’re right! You handle this! I’m out!”

She was gone in a blink, stomping angrily into the kitchen… though Jor wasn’t quite sure what she’d do with herself there. The woman couldn’t even boil water without causing a fire. He found it impressive… how they managed to communicate with simple touches, looks… always in sync. It hadn’t always been that way. Loki shifted his focus back to Jor with a knowing smile. “It was a nice day for a swim.”

Jor hated when he did that. Loki wasn’t all knowing, but he behaved as if he was. It was maddening. “I’m barely a man and he wants me to lead an entire civilization into eternal peace… you were right, father. Thor is a fool.”

“I’m often right, and Thor _is_ often a fool. That doesn’t mean he isn’t doing the right thing.”

“The right thing?!” Jor laughed, hands rubbing his face in case he was dreaming. “You call putting a _boy_ on the throne the right thing?!”

His father was still staring… so much wisdom, intelligence, and mischief rolled into one neat little mind. Sometimes he could be cold and calculating. Jor would never understand how his father worked, because he could be capable of such good and evil interchangeably. Loki did the very opposite of Jor when facing pain. While his son shut down, protected himself in an impenetrable vault… Loki felt everything all at once. He followed his heart to ruin and to salvation. The only one who seemed capable of predicting his movements was his loving wife of Midgard. “You were born in a cave,” Loki whispered.

Jor blinked, not following. “Yeah….”

“I was born in a palace. As a young boy my brother and I were told we could be king… were made to be king. Odin planted a seed even then that grew inside of us like a weed. We were gods, _are_ gods… and it is this that has been our undoing. We thought being gods meant we were in control. We were wrong. Thor’s heart protected him from the worst of it, but even he couldn’t remain immune for long. Playing god is hazardous to our health.”

“Yes, power corrupts… absolute power corrupts absolutely-”

“We never _had_ absolute power, Jor. That’s my point. Power corrupts, but only because we let it… _wanted_ it, _desired_ it. Odin planted a seed in us both. Thor believed himself above fate, just as I did. You fought it too, but at least it was for the right reasons.”

Jor opened his mouth to speak but Loki shook his head.

“You were _born_ in a meager cave! You were born to disgrace! While Thor and I basked in the light of Asgard… you were raised in the shade. Jor, you don’t see it, do you? So brilliant, but you can’t even see what everyone else has already realized. Fate was shaping you for something big all along.”

“I’m tired of being fate’s puppet! This is madness!” Jor snapped angrily. “Fate has made a mistake!”

“No, Jor! Fate knew exactly what it was doing! You have known struggle, you have known darkness, you have known aching silence, weakness… and look at you! You walk past it all and knock on my door! We were born to think ourselves invincible… and you were born to think yourself broken! That is why you must be king! That is why this realm will look to you! You make things grow from the ashes Thor and I spent a lifetime causing! You are more than a puppet, my son, you are a miracle! You are magic! Fate was molding you like clay from the very beginning because it wants you ready! This world is not meant for me, Jor… it was meant for you. You are what we need. I was born to believe myself a god and now I live in shade. You were born in a pathetic little cave… because you were born to be a _king_.”

Jor could say nothing. His throat worked perfectly fine. He was not mute. There simply were no words left to be said. He held his father’s gaze as Darcy walked back from the kitchen with tears in her eyes, and a wide smile. “Go on, fish… you know he’s right.”

He once asked his father if he would do it all again… all the sacrificing, all the running… even the horrible deeds that led to such hardship. Loki’s reply was _“I already have.”_ His father didn’t play by the rules unless he wanted to. He knew what was coming all those years ago when he came face to face with his future son, and when the time came… he’d been more than willing to see that future left intact. He sent Jor back in time because he wanted to… because Darcy Lewis wanted to. They’d never looked happier… standing before him holding hands with all the pride ‘normal’ parents might have if their kid uttered his or her first word. He wouldn’t trade them for anything.

Twelve years ago Asgard fell, and no one knew what would happen. Jor had watched everything he’d ever cared about die and fade into oblivion. He’d lost his voice and his mind. He was still standing. He came back and helped rebuild the city he watched fall. He didn’t understand what fate had in store for him then, and he certainly didn’t now. All he did know was the ocean sat before him, and he needed to dive in. It was what he was meant to do. Besides… he couldn’t possibly disappoint his parents, could he? “I really hope fate knows what it’s doing…”

Loki’s smile was wide and wicked. “Like I said, my little sea serpent. Fate doesn’t make mistakes….”

*~*~*

_Some Time In The Distant Past (Nineteen Years Earlier)_

_Fate was a strange and complicated thing. It kept balance, control… played as judge for an entire universe. Sometimes bad things were made to happen, and sometimes… just sometimes bad things were made to _look_ like they were happening. Eir… Idun… Heimdall… Odin, they had the gift of sight in some respect, saw their futures and embraced them fully. Others were led along like Frigga and Loki… and especially Jor. The curse of Odin… fate’s design, and Eir was forced to watch Thor’s tears fall as Jane Foster took her last breath._

_Nothing the god called Odin ever did was without purpose, though some might call him cruel and wicked for his deeds. A boy of Laufey raised to be a king with no knowledge of his true identity… his mistake, most certainly, but a worthy one as it brought him closer to his destiny… brought him closer to Darcy Lewis. A girl Thor admired and loved; she was more dangerous than he could ever comprehend, but a simple curse certainly cured them of that. Temporarily._

_Eir could never be capable of healing or preventing her end. There was nothing left to prevent. The real Jane Foster was never brought back through the bifrost with the others… fate had other plans for her. While her duplicate (so similar to the trickery Darcy Lewis would need) took on her identity with little knowledge of her lack of soul, fate made other plans for the original. Fate’s mischief was far superior than a mere god. Her mind was too valuable to die or be distracted; her genius too precious for the corruption of Thor’s love. She was sent to Urðr instead._

Her eyes opened slowly to see the goddess’ face, so warm and inviting, but like nothing she’d ever seen before. She spoke with authority. “I am Urðr… of the well of fate. I know what you’re thinking… where is Thor? What you should be thinking… where are you?”

Jane shifted onto her elbows, blinded by the sun and took a look around. “Why didn’t I go back with the others?”

Urðr smiled. “You are in Vanaheim, and you are most welcome here.”

She shook her head, though it ached. “I… I don’t understand.”

The woman stood over Jane, offering a hand which Jane took with some hesitation. “War is coming, the day of Ragnarok hangs over us all… it has been decided that _you_ will be made to bring it.”

She didn’t even know what Ragnarok meant! Where the hell was she?! As she turned around it was clear she was alone. The ground was dry, sun beating down, humidity had her sweating already. Her mind was a fog as she tried to remember what had happened, but it had all been so clear until she’d been snatched from the bifrost “I’m supposed to bring about a war? Are you nuts?!”

Urðr shook her head. “You are the only one capable of doing so. A bifrost… to send all realms to Asgard and end these days before all is lost. We, the fates, have decided.”

Jane stood tall, angry, confused… and really broiling under the harsh sun. “What if I refuse?”

The woman only laughed, and even that sounded far too perfect. “You cannot refuse fate, my dear. It keeps you for a purpose… and when it is over you will be set free. The old ways are coming to an end. This war was inevitable. If Ragnarok does not come to the Aesir… then I fear we will lose so much more than the lives of those killed in battle. Sometimes sacrifices must be made for peace. There isn’t another way.” 

She saw the genuine sorrow in Urðr’s eyes, but there was determination too. This was what terrified Foster most. “Why would I ever help you snuff out innocent lives?” she questioned.

An apple, golden and solid appeared in her right hand… like nothing Jane had ever seen before. Behind her two other women appeared with sharp blue eyes like the sky above, and the saddest of smiles she’d ever seen. “Please, Jane Foster… if the days were not cut short with Ragnarok… none would survive what happens next. Not Asgard… not Vanaheim… not even Midgard. You are not bringing death… you are bring hope,” urged the woman to the right.

“You will be allowed your work or you will eat and forget,” said the other. “The choice is yours.”

Jane eye’d the apple with distrust, swallowing her doubts as she saw the truth in their eyes. Something was urging inside of her, begging her to listen with such a strange desperation, like they were inside her mind and heart. “Tell me what I’m supposed to do….”

**The End**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Urðr is one of three well known fates in Norse Mythology in case you were wondering... from a people of all women! Girl power! Anyway, I just wanted to take the time to thank every last one of you... those who commented, those who left their kudos, AND those who just bothered to read my crazy fic when they could have been busy doing something else. I appreciate and love you all. *hugs* and *kisses*


	22. Fanart:  Jor Lokison

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just some FANART for those who might be curious as to what Jor looks like in my head....


End file.
